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1、SAT精选文章SAT精选文章June18,2010WhatBrokeMyFather’sHeartByKATYBUTLEROneOctoberafternoonthreeyearsagowhileIwasvisitingmyparents,mymothermadearequestIdreadedandlongedtofulfill.ShehadjustpouredmeacupofEarlGreyfromherJapaneseironteapot,shapedlikealittlepumpkin;outside,twocardinalssplashedinthebirdba
2、thintheweakConnecticutsunlight.Herwhitehairwasgatheredatthenapeofherneck,andhervoicewaslow.“PleasehelpmegetJeff’spacemakerturnedoff,”shesaid,usingmyfather’sfirstname.Inodded,andmyheartknocked.Upstairs,my85-year-oldfather,Jeffrey,aretiredWesleyanUniversityprofessorwhosufferedfromdementia,l
3、aynappinginwhatwasoncetheirsharedbedroom.Sewnintoahumpofskinandmusclebelowhisrightclaviclewasthepacemakerthathelpedhisheartoutlivehisbrain.Thesizeofapocketwatch,ithadkepthisheartbeatingrhythmicallyfornearlyfiveyears.Itsbatterywasexpectedtolastfivemore.Aftertea,Iknew,mymotherwouldhelphimfr
4、omhisnarrowbedwithitsmattressencasedinwaterproofplastic.Shewouldtakehimtothetoilet,changehisdiaperandleadhimtotteringtothecouch,wherehewouldsitmutelyforhours,pretendingtoreadJoyceCarolOates,thebookfallinginhislapashestaredoutthewindow.Idon’tlikedescribingwhatdementiadidtomyfather—andindir
5、ectlytomymother—withouttellingyoufirstthatmyparentslovedeachother,andIlovedthem.Thatmymother,Valerie,couldstainadeckandsewaneveningdressfromaphotoinVogueandthoughtofmyfatherasherbestfriend.Thatmyfatherhadnevergivenupeasilyonanything.BorninSouthAfrica,helosthisleftarminWorldWarII,butbuiltf
6、loor-to-ceilingbookcasesforourlivingroom;earnedaPh.D.fromOxford;coachedrugby;andwithmytwobrothersascrew,sailedhisbelovedRhodes19onLongIslandSound.WhenIwasachild,hewokeme,chortling,withhisglossonaversefrom“TheRubaiyatofOmarKhayyam”:“Awake,mylittleone!Beforelife’sliquorinitscupbedry!”Atbedt
7、imehetuckedmein,quoting“Hamlet”:“Mayflightsofangelssingtheetothyrest!”NowIwouldlookathimandthinkofAntonChekhov,whodiedoftuberculosisin1904.“Wheneverthereissomeoneinafamilywhohaslongbeenill,andhopelesslyill,”hewrote,“therecomepainfulmomentswhenalltimidly,secretly,att
