same old, same old老樣子

把家鄉小城說成宇宙中心，誇張裡全是老球迷的驕傲與懷念。

During the + 時期, we were at the centre of ...

回憶某個鼎盛時期時用；正經介紹事實別用。

Back then we were the centre of the universe. ／ In those years our town was the whole world.

中性

the centre of 連讀，footballing 重音在前。

During the boom years, our little port was the centre of the shipping world. 那段繁榮年月，我們這個小港口就是航運世界的中心。

把失業說成「擺脫暴政」，一本正經的反諷，越沉痛越好笑。

one of the advantages of being free from ...

自嘲沒工作、沒約束時用；正式解釋處境別用。

That's the joy of not having a proper job. ／ One perk of unemployment: nobody owns your mornings.

口語

tyranny 重讀，regular employment 放平收尾。

One advantage of being free from the tyranny of a nine-to-five: I nap when I like. 擺脫朝九晚五暴政的一個好處：我想睡就睡。

用假設句把話題頂到對方身上，既是關心，也是輕輕的逼問。

What would you do with your time if you ...?

問人打算、半開玩笑時用；對方敏感時少用。

What would you do with yourself if you stopped? ／ How would you fill the days if you quit?

中性

would you 輕讀，if you retired 稍慢。

What would you do with your time if you sold the shop tomorrow? 要是明天就把店盤出去，你時間打算怎麼用？

一句反問加一句爆發，把多年付出後的寒心甩得乾脆。

What thanks do you get? I'm sick of it!

跟熟人吐槽工作不被感激時用，很解氣；對同事或上級別這麼直白。

What do you get for it? Nothing. ／ I've had enough of this.

口語

thanks 重讀，sick of it 加重收尾。

You give up every weekend, and what thanks do you get? I'm sick of it! 你每個週末都搭進去，換來什麼感謝？我受夠了！