這場戲：特工與州長搶囚犯
第 18 章 · 共 22 章 · 2'30"
被銬在屋裡的癟四和大頭蛋，被當成掌握星際旅行的高等物種，可特工和瑞安州長見面第一件事卻是搶管轄權：一方搬出 national security（國家安全）要人，一方說人在得州就歸她管。兩人全程只顧著笑一個諧音。想學正式場合爭許可權、搬理由的說法，這兩句很有用。
❝ 獨白 · 4 句 特工懷疑兩人「裝傻」：play dumb，還怕他們征服世界
playing dumb 裝傻、裝糊塗share one brain 共用一個腦子getting it on 親熱、發生關係if that's how you want it 你要這樣也行
被銬住的癟四和大頭蛋關在一間屋裡，門外的特工把他們誤當成一個掌握星際旅行、共用一個腦子的外星物種：單獨看連自己都喂不飽，湊到一起智商卻超出想像。他們一邊商量要不要把兩人分開以解除威脅，一邊又想知道他們征服世界的計劃。特工正式要求瑞安州長把囚犯交出，理由是 national security（國家安全）；州長不吃這套，回一句 As long as you're in the state of Texas（只要你還在得州），這倆人就歸她管，還強調自己有 jurisdiction（管轄權）。想表達「交出來」「這歸誰管」「裝傻」，或者想學國家安全、管轄權這類正式說法，這場戲都用得上。
A1–C2 是歐標等級。點一個等級後，比它高的卡片會變淡，播放到那裡不會自動暫停。
“- It's hard to believe this species mastered interstellar travel.”
真難相信這個物種掌握了星際旅行。
把「你們這麼蠢」包進科學驚歎裡，諷刺全靠語氣。
It's hard to believe (someone) did something.
對離譜的人或事假裝震驚時用；熟人玩笑可以，正式場合少用。
It's hard to believe they pulled it off. ／ Hard to believe this is real.
中性
hard to believe 連讀，interstellar 重音在第二音節。
It's hard to believe he passed the test. 真難相信他居然考過了。
“But together, their intelligence is beyond what we can even conceive.”
可一旦湊到一起，他們的智慧超出我們所能想像。
一句正經的偽科學斷言，把兩個蠢蛋說成了超級武器。
something is beyond what we can (even) conceive
形容某事超乎理解時用；偏正式，日常可說 beyond what I can imagine。
beyond what we can imagine ／ more than we can conceive
正式
beyond what we can 連讀，conceive 重音在後。
The scale of the universe is beyond what we can conceive. 宇宙的尺度超出我們所能想像。
“- But if we don't bring them together, we'll never know their plans for world conquest.”
但如果不把他們湊到一起，我們就永遠不知道他們征服世界的計劃。
嚴肅的審訊腔一路堆到「征服世界」，荒誕感一下拉滿。
If we don't ..., we'll never know ...
強調某步不做就永遠查不清時用；語氣重，適合爭論或推理。
If we don't ask, we'll never know. ／ Without them together, we'll never learn the plan.
正式
if we don't 吞音，world conquest 兩詞都重讀。
If we don't ask now, we'll never know the truth. 如果現在不問，我們就永遠不知道真相。
“But I can also be very gentle.”
但我也能非常溫柔。
把威脅和調情混在一起，越平靜越讓人發毛。
I can also be (adjective).
半開玩笑地補充另一種態度時用；曖昧或調侃場合，正式場合別用。
I can be nice too. ／ I can also play it soft.
口語
can also be 輕讀，gentle 重音在前。
I can also be very patient, if that helps. 如果有用的話，我也能非常有耐心。
“- Hello, Governor. It appears we each have something the other wants.”
看來我們各自都有對方想要的東西。
用一句外交辭令點破談判的底牌，客氣又強勢。
It appears we each have something the other wants.
談判或討價還價時暗示交換條件用；語氣剋制，別在朋友間硬用。
It seems we both have what the other needs. ／ Looks like we can trade.
正式
It appears 弱讀，the other wants 連讀。
It appears we each have something the other needs. 看來我們各自都有對方需要的東西。
“- As long as you're in the state of Texas, Special Agent, both those boys belong to me.”
只要你在得克薩斯州，特工，那兩個小子就歸我管。
一句「只要你在我的地盤」壓過聯邦，地方對中央的強勢全在這。
As long as you're in ..., ... belong to me.
強調地盤或許可權時用；帶挑釁，正式談判也可用作施壓。
As long as you're here, you play by my rules. ／ On my turf, this is mine to decide.
正式
As long as 連讀，Texas 與 Special 之間略停。
As long as you're in my kitchen, you follow my rules. 只要在我廚房裡，就得按我的規矩來。
- We've located the second creature. - If we keep them apart, it'll neutralize the threat. - But if we don't bring them together, we'll never know their plans for world conquest. Or the location of their internal sexual organs.
- 我們定位到第二個生物了。 - 只要把他們分開，威脅就解除了。 - 可要是不把他們湊到一起，我們永遠查不出他們征服世界的計劃。 也查不出他們體內生殖器官的位置。
下一章 · 19a thing for特別著迷這場戲：誤會救他們的人在使壞就是「裝傻、裝糊塗」，假裝聽不懂來回避問題。戲裡特工對癟四說 Stop playing dumb，懷疑他在裝作聽不懂。日常不想接話時也常說 don't play dumb with me。
national security。特工拿它當正式理由，要求州長交出囚犯。這個說法常見於新聞、政府檔案和電影裡的官方臺詞，聽起來很有分量。
指「管轄權」，也就是誰有權管這件事。州長說這倆人在得州就歸她管，用的就是這個詞。聯邦和地方爭許可權時，這個詞經常出現。
turn over。聯邦法律規定你必須 turn them over，意思是把人交出來。turn over 本意是翻轉，用在人身上就是移交、交給對方處置。
As long as...，表示「只要……就……」。州長用它宣示權力：只要人在得州，就歸她管。日常談條件、打包票時也常用，比如 as long as you're here。
