TEXT C Some people would
say that the Englishman’s home is no longer his castle; that it has become his
workshop. This is partly because the average Englishman is keen on working with
his hands and partly because he feels, for one reason or another, that he must
do for himself many household jobs for which, some years ago, he would have
hired professional help. The main reason for this is a financial one: the high
cost of labor has meant that builders’ and decorators’ costs have reached a
level which makes them so high that house-proud English people of modest means
hang back. So, if they wish to keep their houses looking bright and smart, they
have to deal with some of the repairs and decorating themselves. As a result,
there has grown up in the post-war years what is sometimes referred to as the
"Do-It-Yourself Movement". The "Do-It-Yourself Movement" began
with home decorating but has since spread into a much wider field. Nowadays
there seem to be very few things that cannot be made by the "do-it-yourself"
method. A number of magazines and handbooks exist to show hopeful handymen of
all ages just how easy it is to build anything from a coffee table to a fifteen
foot (4.5 meters) sailing boat. All you need, it seems, is a hammer and a few
nails. You follow the simple instructions step-by-step and , before you know
where you are, the finished article stands before you, complete in every
detail. Unfortunately, alas, it is not always quite as simple as
it sounds! Many a "do-it-yourselfer" has found to his cost that one cannot learn
a skilled craftsman’s job overnight. How quickly one realizes, when doing it
oneself, that a job which takes the skilled man an hour or so to complete takes
the amateur five or six at least. And then there is the question of tools. The
first thing the amateur learns is that he must have the right tools for the job.
But tools cost money. There is also the wear and tear on the nerves. It is not
surprising then that many people have come to the conclusion that the expense of
paying professionals to do the work is, in the long run, more economical than
’doing it oneself’. As an amateur, you’ll have to ______ first.
A.follow the instructions in magazines B.get the right tools C.prepare fully psychologically D.ask a skilled craftsman’s advice