讀點好英文:Life Is Do-it-yourseIf Project　生活是一項為自己打造的工程

Life Is Do-it-yourseIf Project　生活是一項為自己打造的工程

·Erma Bombeck·

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more IeisureIy life with his wife, enjoying his extended family.He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.They could get by.

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 resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the employer came to inspect the house and 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 the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best.At important points we do not 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, 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 will ever build.Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.The pIaque on the wall says，“Life is a do-it-yourself project.”Who could say it more clearly?Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

埃爾馬·邦貝克

一位上了年紀的木匠做好了退休的準備。他告訴老板他準備離開建筑行業(yè)，與老伴兒和兒孫們一起共享天倫之樂，過一種更悠然自得的生活。雖然他因此少了份薪水，但他想退休了。至于日子嘛，還可以湊合著過。

眼看這位優(yōu)秀的木匠就要離去，老板很遺憾，他問木匠可否幫忙再建一所房子。木匠答應了，可明眼人一眼就看得出來，他做事已經(jīng)心不在焉，做出的活兒技藝粗糙，用的料也沒那么講究了。他就這樣為自己的建筑生涯畫上了句號，真是令人遺憾。

房子建好后，老板過來看房并交給木匠一把前門鑰匙，說：“這房子歸你了，這是我送給你的禮物。”

多么令人吃驚，多么令人羞愧?。〖偃缢肋@房子是為自己造的，他會做得大不一樣?，F(xiàn)在他不得不住在自己建造的這所粗制濫造的房子里了。

我們又何嘗不是如此呢？我們心浮氣躁地打造生活，不是主動工作而是被動應付，能省事就省事，關鍵的時候也沒盡心盡力。驀然回首，才瞠目結舌地發(fā)現(xiàn)自己正住在自己建造的那所房子中，自食其果。早知如此，何必當初！

就當你自己是那位木匠吧。就當你在為自己建房，每天要釘釘、鋪板、砌墻。如果你能這么想，那么你就用心地去建，而且你的生活也只能這樣建造。哪怕你在房子里只生活一天，這一天也應該活得優(yōu)雅而有尊嚴。墻上的銘匾寫道：“生活是一項為自己打造的工程?！边€有什么比這更清楚的呢？明日的生活之果，孕育自你今天的態(tài)度和抉擇之樹上。

核心單詞

retire[ri'tai?]v.退休；退役

IeisureIy['le??li]adj.從容不迫的，悠閑的

inferior[in'fi?ri?]adj.低等的；下級的；低于

dignity['digniti]n.尊嚴；莊嚴

pIaque[pla：k]n.銘牌；徽章

實用句型

If we had reaIized, we wouId have done it differentIy.

早知如此，何必當初！

①這里是虛擬語氣的if+had done形式，表示與現(xiàn)在事實相反的假設。

②differently不同地，類似的由形容詞+ly構成的副詞還有pleasantly愉快地，slowly緩慢地，carefully仔細地，suddenly意外地等。

翻譯練習

1.下崗后，他經(jīng)常借酒消愁。（resort to）

2.他們及時趕上了公共汽車。（in time）

3.請看這張地圖。（look at）