Anelderlycarpenterwasreadytoretire.Hetoldhisemployerabouthisplanstoleavethehouse-buildingbusinesstoliveamoreleisurelylifewithhiswifeandenjoyhisextendedfamily.Hewouldmissthepaycheckeachweek,buthewantedtoretire.Theycouldgetby.

Theemployerwassorrytoseehisgoodworkergoandaskedifhecouldbuildjustonemorehouseasapersonalfavour.Thecarpentersaidyes,butovertimeitwaseasytoseethathisheartwasnotinhiswork.Heresortedtopoorworkmanshipandusedinferiormaterials.Itwasanunfortunatewaytoendadedicatedcareer.

Whenthecarpenterfinishedhiswork,hisemployercametoinspectthehouse.Thenhehandedthefront-doorkeytothecarpenterandsaid,"Thisisyourhouse...mygifttoyou."

Thecarpenterwasshocked!

Whatashame!Ifhehadonlyknownhewasbuildinghisownhouse,hewouldhavedoneitallsodifferently.

Soitiswithus.Webuildourlives,adayatatime,oftenputtinglessthanourbestintothebuilding.Then,withashock,werealizewehavetoliveinthehousewehavebuilt.Ifwecoulddoitover,wewoulddoitmuchdifferently.

But,youcannotgoback.Youarethecarpenter,andeverydayyouhammeranail,placeaboard,orbuildawall.Someoneoncesaid,"Lifeisado-it-yourselfproject."Yourattitude,andthechoicesyoumaketoday,helpbuildthe"house"youwillliveintomorrow.Therefore,buildwisely!

1.Whydidthemaninthestorywanttoretire?

A.Hedidnotenjoybuildinghousesanylonger.

B.Henolongerneededhissalarytolive.

C.Hewantedtoenjoyhisfinalyearswithhisfamily.

D.Hewassickofworkingforhisboss.

2.Whichofthefollowingstatementsaboutthecarpenteristrue?

A.Hewasverypoorathisjob.

B.Hewasdislikedbyhisboss.

C.Hisfamilywasverypoor.

D.Hewasusuallyahardworker.

3.Whywasthecarpenterupsetattheendofthestory?

A.Hisbossforcedhimtocontinueworking.

B.Hedidn’twanttoretiredfromhisjob.

C.Thehousehebuiltwasofverypoorquality.

D.Hefelthisbosshadtrickedhim.

4.Whatisthewriter’spurposeinwritingthisstory?

A.Toshowthatthecarpenterwasalaz