這場戲：被追問到崩潰坦白
第 4 章 · 共 18 章 · 2'44"
吉姆坐在自己的老房子裡，阿曼達追問他的下一步，工作的事還 up in the air（懸而未決）。他說想把老房子修一修。被追問急了，他崩潰坦白丟了工作、和叔叔鬧翻還動了手，最後一句 take the edge off（緩和難受），很扎心。想學怎麼用英語聊失業和崩潰，這幾句很真實。
❝ 獨白 · 9 句 哭完互相打趣：「緩和難受」說 take the edge off
take the edge off 緩和、把難受削掉一點a thing with me 是我的老毛病where else to go 不知道還能去哪
在吉姆的老房子裡，阿曼達問他接下來有什麼打算，回不回圖森、有沒有工作。吉姆說工作的事還 up in the air（懸而未決、沒定下來），又承認自己心裡有一小塊想 fix it up（把房子翻修收拾好），也許乾脆留下——他還說 have a hard time（過得很艱難），只是沒細講。阿曼達追問他在這兒能做什麼，吉姆被問煩了，反問 Why you grilling me（你幹嘛追著盤問我），隨後徹底繃不住：承認丟了工作、和搶客戶的叔叔 a falling out（鬧翻），還動手把人 beat the shit out of（狠揍一頓），越說越後悔，最後又要哭。想學怎麼用英語聊失業、家庭衝突和情緒失控，這些說法都能直接用。
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。
“And work stuff's kinda up in the air.”
而且工作上的事有點懸著沒定。
用一個輕巧的比喻，把失業的窘迫說成「飄著」，體面又心虛。
something is up in the air
事情沒定、懸著時用；對朋友說自己的計劃，比 I don't know 更具體。
My plans are still up in the air. ／ Everything is up in the air right now.
中性
up in the air 連讀成串，air 尾音拖長。
Our trip is still up in the air. 我們的旅行還沒定下來。
“I have to admit there's a small part of me as I was sitting...”
我得承認，當我坐在那兒的時候，心裡有一小部分……
先認輸再坦白，把難以啟齒的念頭說得猶豫又真實。
there's a small part of me that ...
坦白不好意思的念頭時用；對熟人示弱，比直接說 I want 更含蓄。
A small part of me wants to stay. ／ Part of me still misses it.
中性
small part of me 連讀，admit 重讀。
There's a small part of me that wants to quit. 我內心裡有一點點想辭職。
“I haven't got it all, figured out.”
我還沒把一切想明白。
把「沒想明白」說得乾脆，像卸下偽裝後的自嘲。
have something figured out
承認還沒想清楚時用；對家人朋友說，比 I don't know 更坦誠。
I don't have it all figured out. ／ I haven't figured it out yet.
口語
haven't got it 連讀，figured 收得輕。
I don't have my life figured out yet. 我還沒把人生想明白。
“So I'm living in Tucson and I don't want to stay there anymore but I don't really know where else to go.”
所以我住在圖森，可我不想再待下去了，卻又真不知道還能去哪。
三個短句一層層加碼，把困在原地、無處可去的處境說盡。
I don't know where else to ...
走投無路、沒有備選時用；對信任的人說處境，語氣最無助。
I don't know where else to turn. ／ There's nowhere else to go.
中性
where else to go 連讀，go 尾音下沉。
I don't know where else to look for help. 我不知道還能去哪求助。
“And they use to really take the edge off.”
而且它們以前真的能讓我放鬆下來。
把「放鬆」說成「磨掉鋒利」，柔軟裡藏著懷念。
take the edge off something
緊張、疼痛需要緩一緩時用；對親近的人說，比 relax 更有畫面。
A hot bath takes the edge off. ／ That really took the edge off my nerves.
口語
take the edge off 連讀，edge 重讀。
A cup of tea takes the edge off a long day. 一杯茶能緩解漫長一天的疲憊。
“I beat the living shit out of him.”
我把他狠狠地揍了一頓。
粗話直給，把悔意和失控一起砸出來，越髒越像真話。
beat the living shit out of someone
只適合極親近的人之間洩憤；正式場合和生人面前絕對別說。
I beat the crap out of him. ／ I really laid into him.
口語
beat the living 連讀，shit 重讀。
He threatened to beat the shit out of the guy. 他威脅要把那傢伙狠揍一頓。
“Amanda, I don't fucking know what I'm doing, okay?”
阿曼達，我根本不知道自己在幹什麼，行嗎？
崩潰點上的髒話加求饒，把撐不住的防線一次說穿。
I don't fucking know what I'm doing
情緒失控、被逼到牆角時才會說；正式場合和長輩面前不要用。
I honestly don't know what I'm doing. ／ I have no idea what I'm doing.
口語
don't 吞音，doing 尾音上揚帶求饒。
I don't know what I'm doing with my life. 我不知道自己這輩子在幹什麼。
I had lost my job, okay? I lost my job. I had a falling out with my uncle who was stealing clients from me and I beat the fuck out of him, okay? I beat the living shit out of him. It was a really scary moment and I had a crack and I feel awful about it and I'm... I'm sorry, i didn't... I... Oh! So I'm living in Tucson and I don't want to stay there anymore but I don't really know where else to go. And it's... I'm having a... Just having a hard time, so.
我丟了工作，行嗎？我把工作弄丟了。 我跟我叔叔鬧翻了，他一直搶我的客戶，我把他狠狠揍了一頓，行嗎？ 我把他打得半死。 那真是很嚇人的一刻，我失控了，我為此很難受，我…… 對不起，我不是……我…… 哦！ 我現在住在圖森，不想再待在那兒了，可我也不知道還能去哪兒。 而且……我正…… 就是過得挺難的，所以。
下一章 · 05take it personal往心裡去這場戲：分糖豆聊起哭鬧男孩意思是「懸而未決、沒定下來」。臺詞 work stuff's kinda up in the air 就是「工作上的事也還沒定下來」，用來形容計劃、結果都還沒著落。
口語裡說 beat the shit out of someone，語氣很重。臺詞 I beat the living shit out of him 就是「我把他打得半死」，正式場合別用。
說 have a hard time。臺詞 Just having a hard time, so 就是「就是過得挺難的，所以」，也可以說 have a hard time doing something。
說 grill someone。臺詞 Why you grilling me right now? 就是「你幹嘛現在追著我問？」，被連珠炮似的追問時就能用。
意思是「緩和、把難受削掉一點」。臺詞 they use to really take the edge off 說的是以前按頭能讓人放鬆下來，壓力大想緩一緩時很常用。
意思是「鬧翻、失和」，多指親友之間翻臉。臺詞 I had a falling out with my uncle 就是「我跟我叔叔鬧翻了」，後面往往跟著關係破裂的後果。
