laying pipe鋪管線

用「別的妻子如何」反襯自己的不同，一句就把強者的婚姻講透。

Most people would ..., but not you

拿多數人的反應反襯某人的特別時用；語氣太沖會像挖苦。

Anyone else would have run by now, but not you. ／ Most people panic here, but you never do.

中性

would beg 輕讀，get out of this 連讀，but not you 兩處重音。

Most people would quit on day one, but not you. 大多數人第一天就放棄了，可你沒有。

把拖沓的理由說成行業術語，一句就替自己解了圍。

As they say in the ... game, ...

用某行業的行話自我調侃時用；正經彙報裡別這麼說。

In the trade we call this prep work. ／ As we say in this business, groundwork first.

口語

film game 連讀，laying pipe 兩詞重讀，帶點得意。

As they say in the news game, I'm just gathering string. 用新聞圈的話說，我這是在攢線索。

一句家常比喻講清了「傳聞多半有影」，比分析形勢更有畫面。

If you smell smoke, there's a fire

提醒別人傳言有影、要早做防備時用；寫報告時偏口語。

Where there's smoke, there's fire. ／ That much noise usually means something real.

中性

smell smoke 連讀，there s a fire 三詞快帶過。

If you smell smoke, there's a fire, so check the accounts. 聞到煙味就說明起了火，趕緊去查賬吧。

套著《歡樂滿人間》的糖漿歌詞，把特權和享樂唱成一劑苦藥，諷刺又講究。

I like ..., a spoonful of ... to help ... go down.

自嘲式地列出自己的享受和妥協時用；需要顯得謙遜的場合別這麼說。

A little luxury helps the medicine go down. ／ I like the comforts money can buy.

口語

列舉項之間輕頓，a spoonful of caviar 連讀，go down 收平。

A good dessert helps a hard day go down. 一份好甜點，能幫我把艱難的一天嚥下去。