The Road to Tender Hearts - Chapter 2
1. 导读
P.J. Halliday，一个63岁的庞德维尔居民，他的生活被家中堆积如山的杂物和过去的记忆所围绕。一份他未曾细读的讣告，却如同命运的线索，悄然预示着他即将迎来一场意想不到的转变。究竟是怎样的消息，能够打破这看似平静的日常，引领他走向一段全新的旅程？一切都将从一个平凡的早晨开始。
2. 生词列表
| No. | Word | PoS | Pronunciation | 中文含义 | 文中例句 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | obituary | n. | /oʊˈbɪtʃuˌɛri/ | 讣告 | Dr. Gust’s obituary ran in The South Coast Daily Sun two weeks later, on May 3, 2014, to be exact. |
| 2 | inkling | n. | /ˈɪŋklɪŋ/ | 模糊的预感；一点点迹象 | That morning, PJ had no clue, not the slightest inkling, how much his life was about to change. |
| 3 | autopsy | n. | /ˈɔːtɒpsi/ | 尸体解剖；验尸 | During the autopsy, an extraordinary amount of cat hair would be found in Dr. Gust’s nostrils, sucked in off the keyboard during Dr. Gust’s last breaths. |
| 4 | ratty | adj. | /ˈræti/ | 破旧的；蓬乱的 | Still wearing his pajamas, PJ put on his ratty slippers and went downstairs to the kitchen, where he was greeted by his piles. |
| 5 | chock-a-block | adj. | /ˌtʃɒkəˈblɒk/ | 挤得满满的；塞得水泄不通的 | Then again, his house was chock-a-block full of old memories, so there would be a few other contenders for prized possession. |
| 6 | contenders | n. | /kənˈtɛndərz/ | 竞争者；有力竞争者 (复数) | Then again, his house was chock-a-block full of old memories, so there would be a few other contenders for prized possession. |
| 7 | attic | n. | /ˈætɪk/ | 阁楼；顶楼 | The toys in the attic. |
| 8 | prom | n. | /prɒm/ | 毕业舞会 | In there was Kate’s stuff. His older daughter, his firstborn. Kate’s room was the exact same as it had been, the night fifteen years ago she had gone to prom and hadn’t come home. |
| 9 | unkempt | adj. | /ʌnˈkɛmpt/ | 不整洁的；蓬乱的 | He was a large man, overweight, lots of hair on his chest, his long beard was unkempt, his gray hair was down to his shoulders. |
| 10 | flatulent | adj. | /ˈflætʃʊlənt/ | 肠胃气胀的；爱放屁的 | They didn’t mind how flatulent he was. |
| 11 | plight | n. | /plaɪt/ | 困境；苦境 | He blamed the plight of the polar bear for one of his heart attacks. |
| 12 | Habitat | n. | /ˈhæbɪtæt/ | 栖息地 | The bears were drowning, had the doc heard that? Habitat loss. |
| 13 | statins | n. | /ˈstætɪnz/ | 他汀类药物 (降低胆固醇的药物) | The doctor had given him statins and a pamphlet about diet and exercise. |
| 14 | polyester | n. | /ˌpɒliˈɛstər/ | 涤纶；聚酯 | PJ used to hate his own work uniform, the navy polyester pants and light-blue shirt, but he had been fired from his mail-carrier job a long time ago. |
| 15 | ponchos | n. | /ˈpɒntʃoʊz/ | 披风；斗篷 (复数) | She still dyed her hair Marilyn Monroe blond, and she wore red lipstick, lots of jewelry, and colorful ponchos she knit herself. |
| 16 | medication | n. | /ˌmɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/ | 药物；医药 | “Keep taking your medication,” Fred reminded PJ when he came downstairs to join them. |
| 17 | cashmere | n. | /ˈkæʃmɪr/ | 羊绒 | Fred was freshly showered and dressed in a V-neck cashmere sweater. |
| 18 | tatters | n. | /ˈtætərz/ | 碎片；破布 (复数) | It was in tatters, because Ivy had cut it up for him before he’d even arrived at her house. |
| 19 | floral | adj. | /ˈflɔːrəl/ | 花的；花卉的 | That first breakfast was seven years ago, and now, every morning, PJ took a seat in the clean, yellow-floral-wallpapered kitchen with Ivy and her boyfriend. |
| 20 | frittata | n. | /frɪˈtɑːtə/ | 意式烘蛋 | Ivy would make cinnamon buns or omelets, scones or pancakes, a frittata once in a while. |
| 21 | prestigious | adj. | /prɛˈstɪdʒəs/ | 有声望的；享有声誉的 | He was the first Black judge to win the prestigious Noble and Fair Justice Award, and he was known for giving second chances to people who deserved them. |
| 22 | dweeb | n. | /dwiːb/ | 笨蛋；书呆子 (口语，通常指不擅社交的，被认为很酷的人的对立面) | PJ had tried to hate Fred for stealing his wife, but it wasn’t easy to hate Fred, even if he was a dweeb much of the time, always pointing out woodpeckers and titmice, never making dirty jokes, only sometimes laughing at PJ’s. |
| 23 | woodpeckers | n. | /ˈwʊdˌpɛkərz/ | 啄木鸟 (复数) | PJ had tried to hate Fred for stealing his wife, but it wasn’t easy to hate Fred, even if he was a dweeb much of the time, always pointing out woodpeckers and titmice, never making dirty jokes, only sometimes laughing at PJ’s. |
| 24 | titmice | n. | /ˈtɪtmaɪs/ | 山雀 (复数) | PJ had tried to hate Fred for stealing his wife, but it wasn’t easy to hate Fred, even if he was a dweeb much of the time, always pointing out woodpeckers and titmice, never making dirty jokes, only sometimes laughing at PJ’s. |
| 25 | putter | v. | /ˈpʌtər/ | 闲逛；漫无目的地忙碌 | “I hope you always appreciate what you have there,” he told Fred, pointing to Ivy puttering around the kitchen. |
| 26 | Pot calling kettle | idiom | /pɒt ˈkɔːlɪŋ ˈkɛtl/ | 半斤八两 (俚语，指责他人缺点，而自己也有同样缺点) | “Ha,” Ivy said. “Pot calling kettle.”. |
| 27 | chaperone | v. | /ˈʃæpəˌroʊn/ | 担任伴护人 | “I like birds. I could chaperone. I’ve never been to Alaska.”. |
| 28 | huffy | adj. | /ˈhʌfi/ | 易怒的；生气的 | “I might have gone if I’d been invited,” PJ said, huffy, and couldn’t remember who Ernest Shackleton was. |
| 29 | breathalyze | v. | /ˈbrɛθəlaɪz/ | 对…进行酒精测试 | PJ had also driven the mail truck into Assawompset Pond before that, but he hadn’t been breathalyzed for that accident. |
| 30 | doughy | adj. | /ˈdoʊi/ | 面团状的；苍白的；柔软的 | Bottlecap glasses and a doughy face. |
| 31 | lumped | v. | /lʌmpt/ | (把…)归并在一起；认为…和…相同 | Four and a half decades later, PJ had still never seen the mermaid, lumped in among so many other life disappointments, and now, apparently, his old friend Gene was dead. |
| 32 | beignet | n. | /ˈbeɪnjeɪ/ | 法式炸面圈 (尤指新奥尔良的方块形油炸糕点，通常撒糖粉) | For the past decade, they enjoyed retirement by traveling the country in an RV, seeing sights such as the Grand Canyon, the Badlands in South Dakota, the Space Needle in Seattle and eating one too many beignets in New Orleans, before settling down last year in a two-bedroom condo in Tucson, Ariz. |
| 33 | goober | n. | /ˈɡuːbər/ | 笨蛋；傻瓜 (口语，尤指不成熟或古怪的人) | PJ wished there was a photograph of Michelle that went along with the obituary, but it was only Gene, looking like the same goober he was forty-five years ago. |
| 34 | swivel | v. | /ˈswɪvəl/ | 旋转；转动 | The room held a small desk and a computer but was mostly full of cardboard filing boxes, so many boxes you barely had room to move in the swivel chair. |
| 35 | bunion | n. | /ˈbʌnjən/ | 拇囊炎 (脚趾关节肿大) | “It better not be disgusting, Fred,” PJ said, because Fred had bunions on his feet, and that’s when Fred pulled out a ring. |
3. 生词精解
obituary /oʊˈbɪtʃuˌɛri/
n. 指的是 讣告 ，通常是报纸上刊登的关于某人去世的消息，包括逝者的生平、成就和葬礼安排等信息。它常常带有对逝者的缅怀和纪念。
文中例句: "Dr. Gust’s obituary ran in The South Coast Daily Sun two weeks later, on May 3, 2014, to be exact."
补充例句: "The family requested that donations be made to charity in lieu of flowers mentioned in the obituary."
快速记忆法: 想象一个人去世了 (obit- 死亡), 他的生平被“读取”出来 (read)，形成讣告。
inkling /ˈɪŋklɪŋ/
n. 指的是 模糊的预感、一点点迹象或线索 。表示对某事有轻微的了解或猜测，但并不完全清楚。
文中例句: "That morning, PJ had no clue, not the slightest inkling, how much his life was about to change."
补充例句: "She had an inkling that something was wrong, even though everyone told her everything was fine."
快速记忆法: 联想 "ink" (墨水) 和 "ling" (轻微的声音)，就像墨水轻微地滴落，给出了一点点模糊的提示。
autopsy /ˈɔːtɒpsi/
n. 指的是 尸体解剖；验尸 。医学上对尸体进行详细检查以确定死因或疾病的研究。
文中例句: "During the autopsy, an extraordinary amount of cat hair would be found in Dr. Gust’s nostrils, sucked in off the keyboard during Dr. Gust’s last breaths."
补充例句: "The police ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death."
快速记忆法: "Auto" (自己) + "psy" (看/检查)，自己检查尸体以发现死因。
ratty /ˈræti/
adj. 形容 破旧的，蓬乱的，状况很差的 。
文中例句: "Still wearing his pajamas, PJ put on his ratty slippers and went downstairs to the kitchen, where he was greeted by his piles."
补充例句: "He always wore the same ratty old coat, no matter the weather."
快速记忆法: 联想“rat”（老鼠），老鼠咬过的东西通常是破旧、损坏的。
chock-a-block /ˌtʃɒkəˈblɒk/
adj. 指的是 挤得满满的；塞得水泄不通的 。常用于形容空间或地点非常拥挤。
文中例句: "Then again, his house was chock-a-block full of old memories, so there would be a few other contenders for prized possession."
补充例句: "The high street was chock-a-block with shoppers on Saturday afternoon."
快速记忆法: 想象“chock” (木楔) 和“block” (木块) 彼此紧密地卡在一起，没有一丝空隙。
contenders /kənˈtɛndərz/
n. (复数) 指的是 竞争者；有力竞争者 。在竞赛、选举或争取某物的过程中具有成功机会的人或物。
文中例句: "Then again, his house was chock-a-block full of old memories, so there would be a few other contenders for prized possession."
补充例句: "Both teams are strong contenders for the championship title this year."
快速记忆法: 来源于动词“contend”（竞争，争夺），所以是竞争者。
attic /ˈætɪk/
n. 指的是 阁楼；顶楼 。房屋顶部与屋顶之间通常用于储藏物品的空间。
文中例句: "The toys in the attic."
补充例句: "We found some old family photos stored away in the attic."
快速记忆法: 联想“a-ttic”发音类似“爱踢客”，小孩子喜欢在阁楼玩耍踢来踢去。
prom /prɒm/
n. 指的是 毕业舞会 。在美国高中常见的，在学年结束或毕业前夕为高年级学生举办的正式舞会。
文中例句: "Kate’s room was the exact same as it had been, the night fifteen years ago she had gone to prom and hadn’t come home."
补充例句: "She bought a beautiful dress for her senior prom."
快速记忆法: “Prom”是“promenade”的缩写，意为“散步；游行”，引申为正式的社交舞会。
unkempt /ʌnˈkɛmpt/
adj. 形容 不整洁的；蓬乱的 ，通常指头发、衣服或外表。
文中例句: "He was a large man, overweight, lots of hair on his chest, his long beard was unkempt, his gray hair was down to his shoulders."
补充例句: "His room was messy and unkempt, with clothes scattered everywhere."
快速记忆法: “Un-” (不) + “kempt” (整洁的，梳理过的)，所以是“不整洁的”。
flatulent /ˈflætʃʊlənt/
adj. 形容 肠胃气胀的；爱放屁的 。
文中例句: "They didn’t mind how flatulent he was."
补充例句: "Eating certain foods can make a person feel flatulent."
快速记忆法: 来源于“flatus”（胃肠胀气），和“inflate”（充气）有相似的词根。
plight /plaɪt/
n. 指的是 困境；苦境 。通常指一种糟糕、困难或不幸的状况。
文中例句: "He blamed the plight of the polar bear for one of his heart attacks."
补充例句: "The report highlighted the desperate plight of the refugees."
快速记忆法: 联想“light”（光），处于“plight”中就像是失去了光明，陷入困境。
Habitat /ˈhæbɪtæt/
n. 指的是 栖息地 。指动物或植物通常生活的地方。
文中例句: "The bears were drowning, had the doc heard that? Habitat loss."
补充例句: "The destruction of the rainforests threatens the habitat of many species."
快速记忆法: 联想“habit”（习惯），动物习惯居住的地方就是它们的栖息地。
statins /ˈstætɪnz/
n. 指的是 他汀类药物 (降低胆固醇的药物)。一类常用的处方药，用于降低血液中的胆固醇水平。
文中例句: "The doctor had given him statins and a pamphlet about diet and exercise."
补充例句: "Many patients with high cholesterol are prescribed statins to manage their condition."
快速记忆法: 记住它是以“-statin”结尾的药物名称，通常与降低胆固醇相关。
polyester /ˌpɒliˈɛstər/
n. 指的是 涤纶；聚酯 。一种合成纤维或塑料，常用于制造衣物、瓶子等。
文中例句: "PJ used to hate his own work uniform, the navy polyester pants and light-blue shirt, but he had been fired from his mail-carrier job a long time ago."
补充例句: "This jacket is made from 100% polyester, making it durable and water-resistant."
快速记忆法: “Poly-” (多) + “ester” (酯)，指由多个酯基组成的聚合物。
ponchos /ˈpɒntʃoʊz/
n. (复数) 指的是 披风；斗篷 。一种简单的外衣，通常是一块中间有孔的布，供头部穿过。
文中例句: "She still dyed her hair Marilyn Monroe blond, and she wore red lipstick, lots of jewelry, and colorful ponchos she knit herself."
补充例句: "We bought rain ponchos before the outdoor concert."
快速记忆法: “Poncho”发音与“胖球”类似，想象一个胖胖的球披着斗篷。
medication /ˌmɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/
n. 指的是 药物；医药 。用于治疗疾病或缓解症状的物质。
文中例句: "“Keep taking your medication,” Fred reminded PJ when he came downstairs to join them."
补充例句: "He is currently taking medication for his high blood pressure."
快速记忆法: 来源于“medicine”（药），“-ation”表示行为或结果。
cashmere /ˈkæʃmɪr/
n. 指的是 羊绒 。一种非常柔软、轻盈且保暖的羊毛，通常来自山羊。
文中例句: "Fred was freshly showered and dressed in a V-neck cashmere sweater."
补充例句: "She loves wearing her soft cashmere scarf in winter."
快速记忆法: 记住“Cashmere”是克什米尔的音译，与柔软珍贵的羊毛联系起来。
tatters /ˈtætərz/
n. (复数) 指的是 碎片；破布 。形容物体被撕成或磨损成许多小片，通常指衣物或纸张。
文中例句: "It was in tatters, because Ivy had cut it up for him before he’d even arrived at her house."
补充例句: "After the dog got hold of the blanket, it was left in tatters."
快速记忆法: 联想“tattered”（破烂的），表示东西被撕成碎片。
floral /ˈflɔːrəl/
adj. 指的是 花的；花卉的 。与花朵相关或装饰有花卉图案的。
文中例句: "That first breakfast was seven years ago, and now, every morning, PJ took a seat in the clean, yellow-floral-wallpapered kitchen with Ivy and her boyfriend."
补充例句: "She chose a beautiful floral print fabric for the curtains."
快速记忆法: 来源于“flower”（花），“-al”形容词后缀。
frittata /frɪˈtɑːtə/
n. 指的是 意式烘蛋 。一种意大利菜肴，类似于厚煎蛋卷或没有酥皮的乳蛋饼，通常含有蔬菜、肉类和奶酪。
文中例句: "Ivy would make cinnamon buns or omelets, scones or pancakes, a frittata once in a while."
补充例句: "For brunch, I often make a spinach and feta frittata."
快速记忆法: 音译“福瑞塔塔”，记住它是一种意式烘蛋。
prestigious /prɛˈstɪdʒəs/
adj. 形容 有声望的；享有盛誉的 。因其高品质、重要性或受人尊敬而备受推崇。
文中例句: "He was the first Black judge to win the prestigious Noble and Fair Justice Award, and he was known for giving second chances to people who deserved them."
补充例句: "She received a prestigious scholarship to study abroad."
快速记忆法: 联想“prestige”（声望），加上形容词后缀“-ous”。
dweeb /dwiːb/
n. (口语) 指的是 笨蛋；书呆子 。通常指一个不擅社交、不酷或有点傻气的人。
文中例句: "PJ had tried to hate Fred for stealing his wife, but it wasn’t easy to hate Fred, even if he was a dweeb much of the time, always pointing out woodpeckers and titmice, never making dirty jokes, only sometimes laughing at PJ’s."
补充例句: "Don't be such a dweeb; come out and have some fun with us!"
快速记忆法: 发音像“呆逼”，形容傻气的人。
woodpeckers /ˈwʊdˌpɛkərz/
n. (复数) 指的是 啄木鸟 。一种以啄食树木为食的鸟类。
文中例句: "PJ had tried to hate Fred for stealing his wife, but it wasn’t easy to hate Fred, even if he was a dweeb much of the time, always pointing out woodpeckers and titmice, never making dirty jokes, only sometimes laughing at PJ’s."
补充例句: "You can often hear woodpeckers drumming on tree trunks in the forest."
快速记忆法: “Wood” (木头) + “peck” (啄)，啄木头的鸟。
titmice /ˈtɪtmaɪs/
n. (复数) 指的是 山雀 。一种小型的鸣禽，常在树林中活动。
文中例句: "PJ had tried to hate Fred for stealing his wife, but it wasn’t easy to hate Fred, even if he was a dweeb much of the time, always pointing out woodpeckers and titmice, never making dirty jokes, only sometimes laughing at PJ’s."
补充例句: "A flock of tiny titmice gathered at the bird feeder."
快速记忆法: “Tit”在口语中有“小”的意思，而“mice”是“mouse”的复数，所以是“小鸟”，指山雀。
putter /ˈpʌtər/
v. 指的是 闲逛；漫无目的地忙碌 。做一些轻松、不紧急的小事，通常是为了消磨时间或放松。
文中例句: "“I hope you always appreciate what you have there,” he told Fred, pointing to Ivy puttering around the kitchen."
补充例句: "On weekends, I like to putter in the garden, doing a little weeding here and there."
快速记忆法: 想象“put” (放) 东西东“there”（那里）西“here”（这里），慢悠悠地忙活。
Pot calling kettle /pɒt ˈkɔːlɪŋ ˈkɛtl/
idiom 习语，指的是 半斤八两；五十步笑百步 。用来指责一个人批评另一个人有某种缺点，而他自己也有同样的缺点。
文中例句: "“Ha,” Ivy said. “Pot calling kettle.”."
补充例句: "He accused me of being late, which is the pot calling the kettle black, considering he's always tardy."
快速记忆法: 想象一口黑锅（pot）嘲笑一个水壶（kettle）黑，而实际上锅自己也黑，所以是“谁也别说谁”。
chaperone /ˈʃæpəˌroʊn/
v. 指的是 担任伴护人 。尤指成年人陪同未成年人参加社交活动，以确保其行为得体或安全。
文中例句: "“I like birds. I could chaperone. I’ve never been to Alaska.”."
补充例句: "Parents are often asked to chaperone school trips."
快速记忆法: 联想“chap” (小伙子) 和“run” (跑)，看着小伙子不要乱跑，就是伴护。
huffy /ˈhʌfi/
adj. 形容 易怒的；生气的 。通常指因受到轻视或冒犯而表现出愠怒或恼怒的样子。
文中例句: "“I might have gone if I’d been invited,” PJ said, huffy, and couldn’t remember who Ernest Shackleton was."
补充例句: "She got a bit huffy when I suggested she take a break."
快速记忆法: 联想“puff” (气喘吁吁)，生气时会发出“huff”的声音。
breathalyze /ˈbrɛθəlaɪz/
v. 指的是 对…进行酒精测试 。通过呼吸测试来检测血液中的酒精含量。
文中例句: "PJ had also driven the mail truck into Assawompset Pond before that, but he hadn’t been breathalyzed for that accident."
补充例句: "The police officer pulled him over and breathalyzed him on the spot."
快速记忆法: “Breath” (呼吸) + “analyze” (分析)，分析呼吸中的酒精。
doughy /ˈdoʊi/
adj. 指的是 面团状的；苍白的；柔软的 。通常形容肤色苍白缺乏血色，或质地柔软、未经充分烹饪的。
文中例句: "Bottlecap glasses and a doughy face."
补充例句: "The bread wasn't fully baked and had a doughy texture inside."
快速记忆法: 来源于“dough”（生面团），形容像生面团一样柔软或苍白。
lumped /lʌmpt/
v. 过去式和过去分词，指的是(把…) 归并在一起；认为…和…相同 。将不同的事物视为一个整体或一类。
文中例句: "Four and a half decades later, PJ had still never seen the mermaid, lumped in among so many other life disappointments, and now, apparently, his old friend Gene was dead."
补充例句: "All his minor infractions were lumped together under a single charge."
快速记忆法: “Lump”本身有“块；团”的意思，所以“lumped”就是把东西归成一团。
beignet /ˈbeɪnjeɪ/
n. 指的是 法式炸面圈 。一种法国起源的油炸糕点，常在新奥尔良流行，通常是方块形并撒有糖粉。
文中例句: "For the past decade, they enjoyed retirement by traveling the country in an RV, seeing sights such as the Grand Canyon, the Badlands in South Dakota, the Space Needle in Seattle and eating one too many beignets in New Orleans, before settling down last year in a two-bedroom condo in Tucson, Ariz."
补充例句: "We enjoyed fresh coffee and warm beignets for breakfast in the French Quarter."
快速记忆法: 音译“贝涅特”，记住它是一种甜点。
goober /ˈɡuːbər/
n. (口语) 指的是 笨蛋；傻瓜 。通常指一个不成熟、愚蠢或古怪的人。
文中例句: "PJ wished there was a photograph of Michelle that went along with the obituary, but it was only Gene, looking like the same goober he was forty-five years ago."
补充例句: "Don't be such a goober; just admit you made a mistake."
快速记忆法: 联想“goo”（黏液）和“bur”（发出咕哝声），指像黏液一样笨拙，或发出奇怪声音的傻瓜。
swivel /ˈswɪvəl/
v. 指的是 旋转；转动 。特指在固定轴上旋转。
文中例句: "The room held a small desk and a computer but was mostly full of cardboard filing boxes, so many boxes you barely had room to move in the swivel chair."
补充例句: "The camera can swivel 360 degrees to capture everything in the room."
快速记忆法: 联想“swing”（摇摆）和“pivot”（支点），在支点上摆动旋转。
bunion /ˈbʌnjən/
n. 指的是 拇囊炎 。脚拇指根部关节处向外突出并伴有疼痛的肿胀。
文中例句: "“It better not be disgusting, Fred,” PJ said, because Fred had bunions on his feet, and that’s when Fred pulled out a ring."
补充例句: "Wearing tight shoes can worsen a bunion."
快速记忆法: 联想“bun”（小面包），形容脚上长出像小面包一样的肿块。
4. 语法精解
本章节的句式结构相对直接，但也有一些值得注意的复杂句，它们通过从句、同位语或并列结构丰富了表达。这里我们选择分析一个例子来加深理解：
- 文中原句: “PJ Halliday didn’t read Dr. Gust’s obituary, even though it was right next to another obituary that day—the one that would change his life—and all of it would be connected in the end.”
- 结构分析:
- 主句 (Main Clause): “PJ Halliday didn’t read Dr. Gust’s obituary” - 描述了PJ的主要行为。
- 让步状语从句 (Concessive Clause): “even though it was right next to another obituary that day” - 由“even though”引导，表示尽管讣告就在旁边，但PJ没有阅读。这个从句提供了与主句内容形成对比的信息，强调了事件的巧合性。
- 同位语 (Appositive Phrase): “—the one that would change his life—“ - 用破折号引出，修饰前面的“another obituary”，对其进行进一步的解释和限定，明确指出是哪一个讣告。这个同位语增加了句子的信息量，并为后续情节发展埋下伏笔。
- 定语从句 (Relative Clause): “that would change his life” - 嵌入在同位语中，修饰“the one”，说明这个讣告的性质及其对PJ生活的影响。
- 并列句 (Coordinating Clause): “and all of it would be connected in the end” - 由“and”连接，与主句并列，预示着故事中看似无关的元素最终都会相互关联起来，增强了叙事的悬念感。
- 讲解: 这个句子通过“even though”引导的让步状语从句，以及破折号引导的同位语（同位语中又包含一个定语从句），再通过“and”连接一个并列句，层层递进地交代了PJ未读讣告但命运已然与此相关的背景信息，增强了悬念感。这种多层次的结构使得句子信息丰富，表达连贯而深入。
- 结构分析:
5. 读后感
This chapter masterfully introduces us to the quirky yet deeply relatable world of PJ Halliday, a 63-year-old Pondville resident whose life is a fascinating blend of routine, nostalgia, and an undercurrent of melancholy. We see him navigating a house “chock-a-block” with memories, a poignant reflection of his past losses, particularly the haunting absence of his daughter, Kate. Despite his gruff exterior and slightly unkempt appearance, PJ reveals a sensitive soul who cares deeply for animals and children, shielding himself from the world’s harsh realities.
The narrative skillfully intertwines PJ’s daily rituals, like his morning coffee and walk to Ivy’s house, with hints of his complex past—his lottery winnings, his DUIs, and his enduring, albeit complicated, relationship with his ex-wife, Ivy, and her partner, Fred. The impending trip to Alaska for Ivy and Fred underscores PJ’s loneliness and resistance to change, while the discovery of an old friend’s obituary promises an unexpected turn. The chapter leaves us curious about how these seemingly disparate threads will weave together, setting the stage for significant shifts in PJ’s seemingly settled life.