eat dirt認栽

把一場大手術的重，壓進「再抱一次」這個小動作裡，剋制得讓人心疼。

It'll be a long time before I can ... again

向人說明接下來很久不能做某事時用；輕描淡寫可以，但別用來抱怨小事。

It will be a while before I can do that again. ／ I won't be able to do that for a long time.

中性

After tomorrow 稍頓，long time 重讀，pick him up 連讀放輕。

It'll be a long time before I can run again after this surgery. 做完這次手術，我得好久才能再跑步。

一句旁觀者的羨慕，把這家人的關係說透，也照出說話人心裡的空缺。

know how much they mean to each other

讚歎別人關係融洽時用；當著當事人說容易像客套。

They know what they mean to one another. ／ Their bond is clear to everyone.

中性

how much 輕快，mean to each other 連讀，句尾放平。

Those sisters know how much they mean to each other. 那對姐妹很清楚彼此有多重要。

語法不拘，道理卻通透，一句就把教堂之爭化解成「來就好」。

... doesn't care which ..., long as you ...

勸人別在細節上糾結時用；涉及信仰時語氣要溫和、別像教訓人。

It does not matter which one, as long as you come. ／ Just show up and the rest is fine.

中性

don't care 一帶而過，long as 連讀，show up 重讀收尾。

She doesn't care which cafe you pick, long as you show up. 你挑哪家咖啡館她都不介意，只要人來就行。

把一臺精細手術說成粗暴的手工活，黑色幽默壓著害怕。

They basically have to ... to ...

半開玩笑形容大手術或麻煩事時用；在病人本人面前別這麼說。

Basically they have to open you up to fix it. ／ They just about have to take you apart.

口語

basically 弱讀，saw her in half 重音落在 half。

They basically have to run a mile to test my heart. 測我的心肺，基本上得先讓我跑一英里。