這場戲：收車人上門下通牒
第 1 章 · 共 19 章 · 2'53"
電影一開場就丟擲泳池命案：一個年輕人背上中槍，死在豪宅泳池裡，旁白卻說 The poor dope（可憐的傻瓜），只因為他一直想要個游泳池。鏡頭一轉回到半年前，兩個收車人上門，撂下一句 there's gonna be fireworks（要鬧翻天）。想學黑色幽默的旁白和催賬撂狠話，這段最典型。
❝ 獨白 · 15 句 旁白一句 The poor dope（可憐的傻瓜）
was found floating 被發現漂在水上the poor dope 可憐的傻瓜turned out to be 結果卻是it all started 一切開始的時候
撂下狠話：there's gonna be fireworks（要鬧翻天）
played ball with you 配合遷就某人haul it away 拖走、拉走by noon tomorrow 最遲明天中午say the cutest things 反諷對方說得天真
電影開場，旁白先擺出結局：一個年輕人的屍體漂在豪宅泳池裡，身上三處槍傷，他淡淡地來一句 The poor dope（可憐的傻瓜）——他一直想要個游泳池，最後如願了，只是 the price turned out to be a little high（代價有點太高）。隨後鏡頭倒回半年，收車人找上門，說公司已經 play ball with you（配合遷就你）夠久了，你欠了三期款，還有法院命令，撂下 there's gonna be fireworks（要鬧翻天）。旁白還形容自己當時 grinding out（硬憋著寫）原創故事，一週兩個卻一個都賣不出去。想學催賬、下通牒和自嘲式旁白，這幾句都用得上。
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。
“That's the homicide squad, complete with detectives and newspapermen.”
那就是兇殺組，偵探和記者一應俱全。
冷冰冰一句話報出身份，還帶一絲嘲諷，是黑色電影開場的腔調。
X, complete with Y
想調侃地描述一支隊伍或一整套配置時用；對長輩彙報別用這種口氣。
That's the whole crew, complete with lawyers. ／ It's a full house, complete with snacks.
中性
complete with 輕快帶過，句尾 newspapermen 加重。
That's the whole team, complete with two interns. 那就是整個團隊，還配了兩個實習生。
“If so, you've come to the right party.”
要是這樣，那你可找對人了。
不推銷不自誇，一句就把聽眾拉進故事，還帶著老派的痞氣。
If so, you've come to the right X
想把對方引進正題、賣個關子時用；正式彙報或道歉場合不適合。
Then you've come to the right place. ／ If that's what you want, you're in the right room.
口語
If so 後稍停，重音落在 right 上。
If so, you've come to the right desk. 要是這樣，那你找對視窗了。
“The poor dope. He always wanted a pool.”
這可憐的傢伙。他一直想要個游泳池。
兩句大白話，把一個人的死講成心願達成的黑色笑話。
The poor X. He always wanted Y
半是同情半是嘲諷地講別人下場時用；當著家屬說會很傷人。
Poor guy. He always wanted that car. ／ The poor fool. He finally got his wish.
口語
The poor dope 一口氣帶過，pool 下沉收尾。
The poor guy. He always wanted that corner office. 這可憐人。他一直想要那間角落辦公室。
“Well, in the end, he got himself a pool, only the price turned out to be a little high.”
結果呢，他到底還是弄到了一個游泳池，只不過代價有點太高了。
把死亡說成一場交易，輕描淡寫裡全是宿命的諷刺。
in the end ... only the price turned out to be ...
復盤一件得不償失的事時用；安慰當事人時別說這種風涼話。
He got what he wanted, just at a price. ／ It worked out, only far too expensive.
literary
in the end 停頓，only 處轉折，a little high 拖長。
We got the deal, only the price turned out to be a little high. 單子是拿下了，只是代價有點高。
“Sure, sure, we believe you. Only now we want you to believe us.”
信，信，我們信你。只不過現在，也得請你信我們。
先給臺階再翻臉，一句話把軟硬兩手都說盡了。
Sure, sure ... Only now we want you to ...
先應下對方再提出真正要求時用；談判裡連著用會顯得油滑。
Fine, fine, we hear you. Now hear us. ／ Sure, sure. Only it's our turn to be believed.
中性
兩遍 Sure 輕快，Only now 處放慢並加重。
Sure, sure, we got your point. Only now we need a date. 行行行，你的意思我們懂了。只是現在得給個日期。
“That car better be back here by noon tomorrow or there's gonna be fireworks.”
那輛車最好明天中午之前回到這兒，不然就有你好看的。
不用一個髒字，期限和後果都擺在桌上，威脅得很體面。
X better be ... by (time) or there's gonna be trouble
下最後通牒時用；對朋友開玩笑可以，對上司會冒犯人。
It better be done by Friday or there'll be trouble. ／ Get it here by noon or else.
口語
better 重讀，by noon tomorrow 連讀，gonna be 弱讀。
The report better be in by five or there's gonna be fireworks. 報告最好五點前交，不然就要炸鍋了。
Yes, this is Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California. That's the homicide squad, complete with detectives and newspapermen. You'll read about it in the late editions, I'm sure. You'll get it over your radio and see it on television. Because an old-time star is involved. One of the biggest. But before you hear it all distorted and blown out of proportion, before those Hollywood columnists get their hands on it, maybe you'd like to hear the facts. The whole truth. If so, you've come to the right party. You see, the body of a young man was found floating in the pool of her mansion with two shots in his back and one in his stomach. Nobody important, really. Just a movie writer with a couple of B pictures to his credit. The poor dope. He always wanted a pool. Well, in the end, he got himself a pool, only the price turned out to be a little high. Let's go back about six months and find the day when it all started.
對，這裡就是洛杉磯，加利福尼亞的日落大道。 那就是兇殺組，偵探和記者一應俱全。 晚報上你肯定會讀到這條新聞。 收音機會播，電視上也會放。 因為這事牽扯到一位老牌明星。還是最大牌的那種。 但在你聽到那些被扭曲、被誇大得離譜的說法之前， 在好萊塢那幫專欄作家插手之前，也許你想先聽聽事實。全部的真相。 要是這樣，那你可找對人了。 你看，有個年輕人的屍體，被發現漂在她豪宅的游泳池裡， 背上中了兩槍，肚子上中了一槍。 其實，不是什麼大人物。 就是個電影編劇，拿得出手的作品只有幾部二流片。 這可憐的傢伙。他一直想要個游泳池。 結果呢，他到底還是弄到了一個游泳池，只不過代價有點太高了。 咱們往回倒大約半年，找到這一切開始的那一天。
《日落大道》進度
看到第 1 / 19 章 · 後面還有約 60 分鐘
下一章 · 02over a barrel任人擺佈這場戲：向製片人推銷劇本被拒字面是「要放煙花」，口語裡指「要鬧翻天、要有大麻煩」。收車人說車不還回來就 there's gonna be fireworks，就是在撂狠話。
play ball with someone。收車人說公司已經 play ball with you long enough，意思是公司已經配合你夠久了。
是「可憐的傻瓜」，帶點心疼又帶點揶揄。旁白看著泳池裡的屍體這麼說，黑色幽默一下就出來了。
意思是把事情「誇大得離譜」。旁白說不想讓你聽到那些被 blow out of proportion 的說法，就是別被誇大的傳聞帶偏。
指「硬憋著、費勁地寫出來」。旁白說自己當時 grinding out original stories, two a week，一週硬寫兩個劇本卻一個都賣不出去。
