這場戲：被帶去置辦一身新衣
第 8 章 · 共 19 章 · 2'47"
喬說車丟了，諾瑪卻嫌他衣服難看，拉他去最好的男裝店，從法蘭絨一路買到燕尾服。喬拒絕說 I don't need any clothes（我不需要什麼衣服），她只回一句 Why begrudge me a little fun（幹嗎連我這點樂子都不給）。從襯衫到外套，她全替他做主。想學逛街爭執、替人做主和輕巧的反擊，這段臺詞全用得上。
他把丟車當成 a matter of life and death（生死攸關的大事）
a matter of life and death 生死攸關的大事lost my car 車丟了cheap new things 廉價新貨
她問他為什麼要 begrudge me（捨不得讓我得到）
bored with 對某物膩了begrudge me 捨不得讓我得到baggy pants 肥褲子
❝ 獨白 · 7 句 那間房是他唯一 have to myself（獨自擁有）的地方
right through 徑直穿過move me to 把我搬到某處have to myself 獨自擁有better than 比……強
諾瑪發現喬的車不見了，倒更在意他那件難看的襯衫，拉他去城裡最好的男裝店，說 nothing like blue flannel（藍色法蘭絨真是沒得比），從單排扣西裝、駝毛大衣挑到燕尾服，還說 you need them for parties（參加派對要穿）。喬一口回絕 I don't need any clothes（我不需要什麼衣服），她只回 Why begrudge me a little fun（幹嗎連我這點樂子都不給）。到了年底，大雨 right through（徑直穿過）車庫樓上房間的舊屋頂，她讓馬克斯把喬 move me to（搬進）主屋——喬捨不得那間能獨處的小屋，卻也只能認了。想學替人做主、拒絕和輕描淡寫的英語，這段都能用。
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。
“Not one of those cheap new things made of chromium and spit.”
可不是那些用鉻和唾沫拼出來的廉價新貨。
一句話罵盡流水線汽車，老派貴族的傲慢躍然紙上。
one of those cheap new things made of ...
嫌棄粗糙新東西、堅持老派品味時用；對別人買的新車說很沒禮貌。
Not some flimsy new model. ／ Not one of those throwaway things.
口語
cheap new 兩個重音，chromium and spit 放慢加重。
I don't buy furniture made of particle board and glue. 我不買那種用刨花板和膠水做的傢俱。
“I don't need any clothes, and I certainly don't want you buying them for me.”
我不需要什麼衣服，更不想讓你替我買衣服。
把「不要」和「更不要你給」疊起來，界線畫得清清楚楚。
I don't want you doing something for me.
拒絕帶條件的饋贈時用；對真心幫忙的人說會顯得不近人情。
I don't want you paying for me. ／ I'd rather not owe you this.
中性
certainly 重讀，you buying them 一口氣連過去。
I don't need a new phone, and I certainly don't want you buying it. 我不需要新手機，更不想讓你買給我。
“Why begrudge me a little fun? I just want you to look nice.”
你幹嗎連我這點樂子都不給？我就是想讓你穿得體面點。
把控制包裝成關心，一句反問就把對方堵得沒話說。
Why begrudge me ...? I just want ...
被拒絕後用撒嬌式反問時用；對獨立的人這樣說會招反感。
Why can't you let me enjoy this? ／ It's only a small thing I'm asking.
口語
Why 上揚，begrudge me 連讀，重音落 fun 和 nice。
Why begrudge me dinner? I just want to treat you. 你幹嗎不讓我請頓飯？我就是想款待你。
“The only time I could have to myself was in that room.”
我唯一能獨處的時間，就是在那個房間裡。
不說被看管，只說「獨自待著」，一句道盡寄人籬下的窒息。
The only time I could have to myself was ...
講自己僅剩的私人空間時用；對佔滿你時間的人說等於抗議。
That room was the only place that was mine. ／ My only privacy was up there.
中性
only time 重讀，have to myself 輕快帶過，句尾落平。
The only time I could have to myself was on the commute. 我唯一能獨處的時間就是在通勤路上。
“But it was better than sleeping in a raincoat and galoshes.”
可總比穿著雨衣和雨鞋睡覺強。
用最狼狽的畫面收尾，讓讓步聽起來像自我打趣。
It was better than doing something awful.
勉強接受一個不太好的選擇時用；正式彙報裡別這樣打趣。
Still better than the alternative. ／ Better than getting soaked all night.
口語
better than 連讀，raincoat and galoshes 放慢列舉。
Working late is better than sleeping in the office. 加班總比睡在辦公室強。
The last week in December, the rains came. A great big package of rain, oversized, like everything else in California. It came right through the old roof of my room above the garage. She had Max move me to the main house. I didn't much like the idea. The only time I could have to myself was in that room. But it was better than sleeping in a raincoat and galoshes.
十二月的最後一週，雨來了。 一大包雨水，鋪天蓋地，就像加州別的一切一樣誇張。 雨水徑直穿過我車庫樓上那間房的舊屋頂。 她讓馬克斯把我搬進了主屋。 我不太喜歡這個主意。 我唯一能獨處的時間，就是在那個房間裡。 可總比穿著雨衣和雨鞋睡覺強。
下一章 · 09take me for granted把我當成理所當然這場戲：跨年夜逼他表態字面是「生死攸關的事」，形容重要得不得了。喬覺得車丟了就是這種大事，才跑來這棟宅子。
begrudge。諾瑪說 Why begrudge me a little fun，就是「你幹嗎連我這點樂子都捨不得給」。
是「對……膩了、看煩了」。諾瑪說自己 bored with 那件運動外套和肥褲子，就是看膩了喬的打扮。
是「沒什麼比得上」。諾瑪說 there's nothing like blue flannel for a man，就是「男人穿藍色法蘭絨沒得比」。
是「只要」，用來提條件。臺詞裡說 as long as the lady's paying for it，就是「既然這位女士掏錢」。
是「擦亮、打理好」。馬克斯把老爺車從墊木上弄下來 polish it up，就是擦得鋥亮再開出來。
