27.
(A) to
(B) for
(C) about
(D) at

At such times he had not been for his understanding wife Sophia he might very possibly have abandoned literature altogether. 

納撒尼爾·霍桑（Nathaniel Hawthorne，1804-1864年）是美國歷史悠久的主要作家之一，他的文學生涯令人失望。 由於天生憂鬱，他容易對自己作為作家的未來感到沮喪。 悲觀主義是霍桑最痛苦的敵人。 霍桑在人生中經歷了三個不同時期，不得不放棄寫作作為生計，而去做政府工作。在這樣的時候，若不是為了他善解人意的妻子索菲亞，他可能很可能完全放棄了文學。

我也這麼覺得，感覺Sophia和he之間應該有個逗號才對

At such times he had not been for his understanding wife Sophia, he might very possibly have abandoned literature altogether.

understading wife Sophia 善解人意的妻子!