Question

【题目】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.

【1】Why was the carpenter ready to retire?

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.

【2】What does the underlined word “shoddy” in the second paragraph probably mean?

A. Beautiful. B. Best. C. Bad. D. General.

【3】What is the main idea of the fifth paragraph?

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.

【4】What does the author mainly want to tell us in the text?

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.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】C

【3】C

【4】D

【解析】请在此填写整体分析!文章讲述了一位即将退休的木匠敷衍了事地建造了最后一座房子，却没想到是为自己建造的，由此警告人们要端正生活态度。

【1】细节理解题。根据第一段第二句话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.可知他想live a more leisurely life。所以A正确。

【2】词义猜测题。根据前句it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. 可知他把心思放在工作上，所以不可能用好材料，所以AB错误，再根据后文If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.可知，他用的材料应该是不好，所以C正确。

【3】主旨大意题。通读整段内容可知作者建议Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.，所以C项符合题意。

【4】写作意图。根据文章最后一段内容可知作者想要告诉我们，要有积极的人生态度。