Building Bridges
？佚名 / Anonymous
Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side， sharing machinery， and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch.
Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference， and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for a few days work，” he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you？”
“Yes，” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor， in fact， it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well， he may have done this to spite me， but I’ll go him one better. See that pile of lumbering by the barn？ I want you to build me a fence — an 8-foot fence — so I won’t need to see his place anymore. Cool him down， anyhow.”
The carpenter said， “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the posthole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you. ”
The older brother had to go to town for supplies， so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.
The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring， sawing， nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned， the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide， his jaw dropped.
There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge... a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other！ A fine piece of work handrails and all — and the neighbor， his younger brother， was coming across， his hand outstretched.
“You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”
The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge， and then they met in the middle， taking each other’s hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. “No， wait！ Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you， ”said the older brother.
“I’d love to stay on，” the carpenter said， “but， I have so many more bridges to build.”
从前，在相邻的农场里住着两兄弟，他们之间发生了冲突。这是40年来他们第一次产生严重的隔阂。这40年里，他们共用机器，按需交换劳力和物品，日子过得很和美。
然而，长久的合作消失了。这次矛盾起因于一个小误会，后来误会渐渐恶化，最后发展到相互诅咒，以至于几个星期互不理睬。
一天早晨，有人敲了哥哥约翰的门，他打开门看到一个带着工具箱的木匠。“我是来找活儿干的。”他说，“你有需要我干的零碎活儿吗？”
“有。”这位哥哥说，“我这里有一份活儿。看到小河那边的农场了吗？那是我的邻居，事实上他也是我的弟弟。上个星期两农场之间还是一块草地，他用推土机推倒河岸，现在我们之间就有了这条小河。他这样做是为了让我难过，我要让他更加难堪。看到谷仓旁的木材了吗？你给我做个8英尺高的围栏，我不想再看到他的农场，不管怎样，我一定不搭理他了。”
木匠说：“我知道你的要求了，告诉我钉子和桩洞在哪儿，我定能做出让你满意的活儿来。”
这位哥哥进城采购，他把木匠要用到的材料准备好，就出去了，整整出去了一天。
木匠辛苦地工作了整整一天，不是量就是锯，要不就是钉。一直到了天黑，农民回来，木匠才刚刚完成他的工作。农民看到木匠做完的活儿，惊呆了。
那根本不是围栏，而是一座桥，一座横跨小溪的桥。扶手和其他所有部位都制作得非常精细。他的弟弟正张开手从桥那边走来。
“我过去那么伤害你，你却建了一座桥，我真是……”
兄弟俩从桥的两端走到桥中央，握着对方的手。他们转过头来去看木匠，却看到他背起工具箱要走。“等等，再待几天吧，我还有好多活儿让你做呢。”哥哥说。
“我也想多待几天的。”木匠说，“但是，还有许多桥等我去建造呢。”
1. Then the_______collaboration fell apart. It began_______a small misunderstanding and it grew into a_______difference， and finally it exploded into an exchange_______bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
2. The carpenter worked_______all that day measuring， sawing， nailing. _______sunset when the farmer returned， the carpenter_______just finished his job. The farmer’s_______opened wide， his jaw dropped.
3. The two_______stood at each end of the bridge， and_______they met in the middle， taking each other’s_______. They turned to see the carpenter hoist ______ toolbox on his shoulder.
1. 从前，在相邻的农场里住着两兄弟，他们之间发生了冲突。
2. 他这样做是为了让我难过，我要让他更加难堪。
3. 那根本不是围栏，而是一座桥，一座横跨小溪的桥。
