這場戲：為迎王室又爭遺產
第 2 章 · 共 22 章 · 4'54"
國王王后要來唐頓住一晚，訊息一齣，樓上樓下全忙起來：有人怕把失和的親戚 put on the spot（讓某人下不來臺），廚房裡為選單和婚禮吵個不停，還有人撂下 We'll get wed when we're good and ready（真正準備好了再結婚）。英劇裡那種含蓄又帶刺的家常話，這段最集中。
被催婚的反擊：good and ready（真正準備好了）
run for parliament 競選議員bound to 必然會、準會for a start 首先、頭一條good and ready 真正準備好了
奶奶下令別讓她 put on the spot（讓某人下不來臺）
cut herself off 與家人斷絕來往cheat your father of 把某人的東西騙走put on the spot 讓某人下不來臺up to 在搞什麼名堂
國王王后要來唐頓莊園住一晚，訊息傳開，樓上樓下都忙成一團。王室這邊，巴格肖想直接去哈伍德，因為兩家早就 fallen out（鬧翻、失和），她怕自己一露面又起爭執。唐頓這邊，家裡人一邊猜這位早年 cut herself off（與家人斷絕來往）的遠親是不是回來爭遺產，一邊又叮囑別把她 put on the spot（讓某人下不來臺）；廚房裡，黛西被催著少講道理多出力，還懟回婚禮的事——We'll get wed when we're good and ready（真正準備好了再結婚）。想學英劇裡含蓄、帶刺又不失體面的口語，從這段入手。
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。
“Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.”
諷刺是最低階的機智。
一句格言把挖苦按到最低處，反手又用在了說這句的人身上。
X is the lowest form of Y.
有人挖苦你時可以半開玩笑地回敬；正式報告裡別用。
Sarcasm is the cheapest kind of humour. ／ That is the lowest form of praise.
literary
重音落在 lowest，wit 短促收住，別拖音。
Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, and you have plenty of it. 諷刺是最低階的機智，而你正好不缺。
“I won't have her put on the spot.”
我不許你們讓她難堪。
短短一句既是護人也是立規矩，把當家人的分量擺得清清楚楚。
I won't have someone do something.
替人擋駕、不許別人難堪時用；對上司這樣說會顯得越權。
I won't let them embarrass her. ／ I am not having him treated that way.
中性
won't have 連讀，her put 之間略頓，句尾下沉。
I won't have them put you on the spot in the meeting. 我不許他們在會上讓你下不來臺。
“We'll get wed when we're good and ready and not before.”
等我們真準備好了再結婚，早不了。
把終身大事說成一句帶點倔的家常話，分寸和真心都在裡頭。
when we're good and ready
朋友催婚時半推半就地回應；對長輩這樣講會顯失禮。
We'll do it when we're good and ready. ／ Not until we're good and ready.
口語
good and ready 三個詞連讀快說，not before 重讀收尾。
We'll move when we're good and ready, not before. 等我們真準備好了再搬，早不了。
“There's only one of them in the world.”
這樣的國王，全世界就這麼一個。
用獨一無二的分量壓回對方的輕慢，簡短卻有力。
There's only one of ... in the world.
要強調某人或某物獨一無二時用；對平輩開玩笑別說得太鄭重。
There's only one like him anywhere. ／ He's one of a kind.
中性
重讀 one，in the world 輕收，語氣篤定。
There's only one of these bakeries in the whole city. 這樣的麵包店全城就這一家。
下一章 · 03put on a show撐起場面這場戲：王室管家接管莊園就是「讓某人下不來臺、當眾為難人」。劇裡有人叮囑 I won't have her put on the spot，意思是「我不許你們讓她難堪」，長輩護著親戚時常用。
fall out，過去式是 fallen out。劇裡說 the two families have fallen out，就是兩家鬧翻了，朋友、親戚之間都常用，比 argue 更強調翻臉斷交。
不是。good and ready 是固定說法，強調「真真正正準備好了」。劇裡 We'll get wed when we're good and ready 就是「等我們真準備好了再結婚」，帶點不耐煩。
in person 是「親自、本人到場」。劇裡她擔心一旦 in person 露面就會鬧翻，指的不是派人代表，而是本人親到現場，開會、拜訪都能用。
就是「競選議員」，run for 加職位是常見搭配，比如 run for president。廚房裡拿它打趣，說誰都能去參選，連阿斯特夫人都做到了。
