這場戲：法庭上認罪被判緩刑
第 13 章 · 共 14 章 · 2'39"
李·伊斯雷爾站在法庭上念悔過陳述，承認那些偽造的信不是自己的作品—— But it wasn't really my work, was it?（但那其實不是我的作品，對吧？），又說自己 too much of a coward（太懦弱），不敢把真作品拿出來給人批評。想把認錯和自嘲說得到位，這幾句就是範本。
❝ 獨白 · 20 句 莉的量刑前自白
句子被拆得越來越碎，坦白到近乎殘忍，節奏像在慢慢洩氣。
法官宣判 five years' probation（五年緩刑）加 house arrest（軟禁）
five years' probation 五年緩刑house arrest 軟禁、居家監禁consort with felons 與罪犯往來、和壞人廝混within your means 量力而行、在能力範圍內
李·伊斯雷爾因為偽造名人信件被送上法庭。她當庭念出悔過陳述：說近來唯一讓她驕傲的作品其實不是自己的，還說自己 too much of a coward（太懦弱），怕 open myself up to criticism（把自己置於批評之下）才不敢寫真的東西；她又提到失去的貓和朋友，說自己不是真正的作家。法官隨後判她五年緩刑加六個月 house arrest（軟禁），只准為了上班、社群勞動和戒酒會出門，還不得與罪犯往來、要量力賠償。三句值得記：too much of a coward（太懦弱）承認自己不敢；house arrest（軟禁）是判罰裡最具體的詞；within your means（量力而行）形容按能力做事。
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 I'm too much of a coward to do that.”
而我又太懦弱，做不到。
把不敢冒險說成一句自嘲，比任何辯解都讓人信。
too much of a coward to do something
自嘲或坦白自己不敢時用；說別人則像罵人。
I'm too scared to do that. ／ I just don't have the guts for it.
口語
too much of a 連讀，coward 重讀，to do that 收低。
I'm too much of a coward to speak up in meetings. 我太懦弱了，開會時不敢開口。
“But it wasn't really my work, was it?”
但那其實不是我的作品，對吧？
用反問把驕傲一把拉回現實，自嘲裡全是酸楚。
it wasn't really my ..., was it?
想承認某樣東西不屬於自己時用；質問別人時語氣會變重。
But it was never really mine, was it? ／ It wasn't my work at all, was it?
口語
wasn't really 連讀，was it 尾音輕挑。
It wasn't really my idea, was it? 那其實不是我的主意，對吧？
“Lee Israel, the court sentences you to five years' probation plus six months' house arrest.”
莉·伊斯拉爾，本庭判處你五年緩刑，外加六個月軟禁。
把一長串刑罰念得平靜，反差襯出她自白的坦白。
sentences you to ... plus ...
描述判決結果時用；日常打趣說被罰也能套。
The court gives you five years' probation. ／ You are sentenced to probation and house arrest.
正式
five years' probation 連讀，house arrest 重讀。
The boss sentenced me to a week of night shifts. 老闆判了我一週夜班。
“And he was nice to have around.”
而且有他在身邊，挺好的。
用最輕的一句懷念朋友，平淡反而最戳人。
be nice to have around
懷念熟人、輕描淡寫夸人時能用；正式悼詞裡別這麼隨意。
He was good to have around. ／ It was nice having him there.
中性
nice to have around 連成一串，around 輕收，語氣平緩。
She was easy to have around the office. 有她在辦公室，大家都輕鬆。
I mean, it's the only time... recently, that I can remember being proud of my work. But it wasn't really my work, was it? I mean... if I had put in my work... then I would've been opening myself up to criticism. And I'm too much of a coward to do that. Then I lost my cat. She was probably the only soul... that truly loved me, maybe ever. And I lost my friend... who may have been an idiot, but he... he tolerated me. And he was nice to have around. And I think I have realized that I am... ...not a real writer. And that... ...I think, in the end, it... ...I would say, was not worth it. I would say that.
我是說，這是唯一一次…… 近來我能記起的、為自己作品感到驕傲的時刻。 但那其實不是我的作品，對吧？ 我是說…… 要是我把自己的作品交出去…… 那我就等於把自己暴露在批評之下。 而我又太懦弱，做不到。 後來我失去了我的貓。 她大概是唯一一個…… 真心愛過我的靈魂，也許這輩子就這一個。 我還失去了我的朋友…… 他也許是個蠢貨，可他…… 他能容忍我。 有他在身邊挺好的。 我想我已經意識到，我…… ……不是真正的作家。 而且…… ……我想，到頭來，這…… ……我會說，並不值得。 我會這麼說。
下一章 · 14like hell I will想都別想這場戲：求舊搭檔同意寫書意思是「太懦弱、太膽小」，常用於說自己或別人不敢做某事。臺詞裡她承認不敢把真作品拿出來，就是因為怕被批評。
說 house arrest。法院判的 house arrest 就是隻能待在家裡、不許隨便出門，比坐牢輕，但行動大大受限。
說 within your means，means 指財力或能力。臺詞裡是讓她在能力範圍內賠償受害者，平時也常說 live within your means（量入為出）。
說 open myself up to criticism。open up 是「敞開、暴露」，把作品交出去就等於把自己敞開給別人的批評，說法很形象。
說 consort with felons。consort 是「廝混、結伴」，felon 是重罪犯。這是判決裡常見的限制條件，聽起來很正式。
說 put in。臺詞裡 if I had put in my work 是「要是我肯下功夫交出真作品」，put in 後面跟時間或努力都行。
