Old Tom had four sons. He wanted them     1     (learn) not to judge things too quickly. So he     2     (send) them to look at an apple tree in different seasons. The first son went in winter, the second in spring, the third in summer, and the youngest in autumn. When they all came back, he called them together to describe what they     3     (see). The sons had different opinions. Tom then told them that they shouldn’t judge a tree, or a person, by only one season.

A couple had been married since they were twenty-five. They     1     (usual)shared everything, talked about everything and kept no secrets from each other except that the woman had a box in a drawer     2     she didn't allow her husband to open or ask her about.

He'd never thought about it ever since. One day, the woman     3     (become)very sick and the doctor said her     4     (ill)was serious and she was going to die. The husband took down the box and brought it to     5     (he)wife's bedside. She agreed it was time that he should know what was in     6     box.

Opening it, he was surprised     7     (see)two small table mats(垫子)and a lot of money. He asked her about them. "When we were to be married," she said, "my grandma told me the secret of a happy marriage was never to argue, and I should just keep quiet and make a mat when I got angry with you.”

After     8     (hear)what the woman said, the man was so moved that he had to fight back his tears. She had only been angry with him twice in all those     9     (year)of living and loving! "Honey," he said, "that explains the mats, but what about the money? Where did it come     10     ?"

“Oh. " she said, "that's the money I made from selling them."

An old carpenter was ready to retire.

His boss was sorry     1    （see）the good worker go. He asked the carpenter     2     he could build one more house. The carpenter said yes，but his mind wasn't on his work any more.

    3     （use）poor materials，he worked on the house carelessly. When the house     4    （complete），the boss handed him the front-door key.“This house is now yours，”he said，“as a reward for your     5    （devote）over the years.”

What a surprise！What a shame！    6     he known he was building his own house，he would have done it differently. Now he had to live in the house poorly     7    （build）by himself.

So it is with us. Sometimes we build our lives carelessly. At important points we don't try our best. Then with a shame we find     8    （we）living in the house we have poorly built. But we don't have a chance to make it all over again.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Build your life     9    （wise）. Your life today is     10     result of your attitudes and choices you made in the past. Your life tomorrow will be that of your attitudes and choices you make today.