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1、SAT精选文章SAT精选文章June18,2010WhatBrokeMyFather’sHeartByKATYBUTLEROneOctoberafternoonthreeyearsagowhileIwasvisitingmyparents,mymothermadearequestIdreadedandlongedtofulfill.ShehadjustpouredmeacupofEarlGreyfromherJapaneseironteapot,shapedlikealittlepumpkin;outside,twocardinalssplashedinthebirdbathinthe
2、weakConnecticutsunlight.Herwhitehairwasgatheredatthenapeofherneck,andhervoicewaslow.“PleasehelpmegetJeff’spacemakerturnedoff,”shesaid,usingmyfather’sfirstname.Inodded,andmyheartknocked.Upstairs,my85-year-oldfather,Jeffrey,aretiredWesleyanUniversityprofessorwhosufferedfromdementia,laynappinginwha
3、twasoncetheirsharedbedroom.Sewnintoahumpofskinandmusclebelowhisrightclaviclewasthepacemakerthathelpedhisheartoutlivehisbrain.Thesizeofapocketwatch,ithadkepthisheartbeatingrhythmicallyfornearlyfiveyears.Itsbatterywasexpectedtolastfivemore.Aftertea,Iknew,mymotherwouldhelphimfromhisnarrowbedwithits
4、mattressencasedinwaterproofplastic.Shewouldtakehimtothetoilet,changehisdiaperandleadhimtotteringtothecouch,wherehewouldsitmutelyforhours,pretendingtoreadJoyceCarolOates,thebookfallinginhislapashestaredoutthewindow.Idon’tlikedescribingwhatdementiadidtomyfather—andindirectlytomymother—withouttelli
5、ngyoufirstthatmyparentslovedeachother,andIlovedthem.Thatmymother,Valerie,couldstainadeckandsewaneveningdressfromaphotoinVogueandthoughtofmyfatherasherbestfriend.Thatmyfatherhadnevergivenupeasilyonanything.BorninSouthAfrica,helosthisleftarminWorldWarII,butbuiltfloor-to-ceilingbookcasesforourlivin
6、groom;earnedaPh.D.fromOxford;coachedrugby;andwithmytwobrothersascrew,sailedhisbelovedRhodes19onLongIslandSound.WhenIwasachild,hewokeme,chortling,withhisglossonaversefrom“TheRubaiyatofOmarKhayyam”:“Awake,mylittleone!Beforelife’sliquorinitscupbedry!”Atbedtimehetuckedmein,quoting“Hamlet”:“Mayflight
7、sofangelssingtheetothyrest!”NowIwouldlookathimandthinkofAntonChekhov,whodiedoftuberculosisin1904.“Wheneverthereissomeoneinafamilywhohaslongbeenill,andhopelesslyill,”hewrote,“therecomepainfulmomentswhenalltimidly,secretly,att
