1．An elderly carpenter was ready to retire．He told his employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife，enjoying his extended family．He would miss the pay check，but he needed to retire．
The employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor．The carpenter said yes，but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work．He used shoddy materials to build the house．It was an unfortunate way to end his career．
When the carpenter finished his work and the employer came to inspect the house，he handed the front-door key to the carpenter．"This is your house，"he said，"my gift to you．"
What a shock!What a shame!If he had only known he was building his own house，he would have done it all so differently．Now he had to live in a home he hadn't built very well．
It is the same with us．We build our lives in a distracted way，reacting rather than acting，willing to put up with less than the best．At important points，we don't give the job our best effort．Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built．If we had realized that，we would have done it differently．
Think of yourself as the carpenter．Think about your house．Each day you hammer a nail，place a board，or erect a wall，build wisely．It is the only life you ever build．Even if you live it for only one day more，that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity．The plague （牌匾） on the wall says，"Life is a do-it-yourself project．"
Who could say it more clearly？Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past．Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today．
21．Why was the carpenter ready to retire？A
A．He wanted to have a relaxed life．
B．He found a better-paid job．
C．He could still survive without working．
D．He was tired of his job．
22．What does the underlined word"shoddy"in the second paragraph probably mean？C
A．Beautiful．
B．Best．
C．Bad．
D．General．
23．What is the main idea of the fifth paragraph？C
A．We should build a good house to live in．
B．We always regret what we have done．
C．We should try our best to do things well．
D．We prefer to react，rather than act．
24．What does the author mainly want to tell us in the text？D
A．We should build a house wisely．
B．Life is a do-it-yourself project．
C．Building a house is like building a life．
D．We should have the right attitude towards life．
分析 本文讲述的是一名即将退休的木匠的故事，告诉人们应该如何面对生活和人生．
解答 21．A 细节理解题．根据第一段句子live a more leisurely life with his wife，enjoying his extended family．和他的妻子过一种更加悠闲的生活，享受他的大家庭．所以答案选A．
22．C 猜测词义题．根据下一句It was an unfortunate way to end his career这是一个不幸的方式来结束他的职业生涯．可以推断出他建房子用的材料不好，所以答案选C．
23．C 推理判断题．If we had realized that，we would have done it differently如果我们意识到这一点，我们就会做得不一样．由此可以推断出我们应该尽最大的努力把事情做好．所以答案选C．
24．D 写作意图题．根据文章最后句子Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past．Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today．你今天的生活是你过去的态度和选择的结果，你明天的生活将是你今天的态度和选择的结果．所以作者写文章是为了告诉我们要有正确的生活态度．所以答案选D．
点评 本篇阅读要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释．考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点．
