這場戲：決定租下鬧鬼別墅
第 3 章 · 共 18 章 · 4'22"
大家都說海鷗別墅鬧鬼，四撥房客連夜跑光，露西偏偏要租下來。房東罵她 obstinate（固執），她回一句 I've always wanted to be considered obstinate（我一直想被人說成固執）。想學怎麼用英語硬氣表態、還帶點幽默，這場戲夠用。
「我一直想被人說成固執」：I've always wanted to be considered obstinate
medieval nonsense 中世紀的鬼話、老迷信If I may so say 恕我直言on the understanding that 以……為前提、條件是be considered 被認為、被看作
露西去看海鷗別墅，房東庫姆先生一路勸退：這房子他租出去四回，四回房客頭一晚就跑光；房主是他表親葛利格船長，人已去世。露西聽到「鬧鬼」反而說 fascinating（有意思極了），還專程回來簽下房子，說自己就愛當個 obstinate（固執的、認死理的）人。她還說都二十世紀了，相信鬼魂和 medieval nonsense（中世紀的鬼話）太荒唐。想用英語不卑不亢地回嘴、給房東一個漂亮的軟釘子，這幾句就能直接搬。
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。
“Well, I don't want to be relied on.”
可我不想被人指望。
把一份沉甸甸的託付輕輕推開，拒絕當別人的指望。
I don't want to be relied on
被塞了本不該你擔的責任時用；對上司說要當心。
I'd rather not be the one everyone counts on. ／ Don't make me the person you lean on.
中性
relied on 連讀，句尾放平。
I don't want to be relied on for every decision. 我不想每個決定都得由我兜著。
“I never want to see this house again.”
我再也不想看見這棟房子了。
never 加 again，把厭惡說到不留後路。
I never want to see ... again
受夠了一件事、想徹底斷絕時用；說出口往往就沒法回頭。
I hope I never set foot here again. ／ I'm done with this place for good.
口語
never 重讀，see this house again 連讀。
I never want to see that office again. 那間辦公室我再也不想踏進去。
“But it's too ridiculous, really, in the 20th century, to believe in apparitions and all that medieval nonsense.”
都二十世紀了，還相信什麼鬼魂和那些中世紀的荒唐話，實在太可笑了。
把鬼魂歸到中世紀，一句玩笑就把恐懼按了下去。
it's ridiculous to believe in ...
想把迷信或舊觀念一口否掉時用；對信的人說會得罪人。
It's absurd to still believe in that. ／ Nobody in this century takes that seriously.
口語
too ridiculous 重讀，apparitions 前留個停頓。
It's ridiculous to believe in lucky numbers. 還信什麼幸運數字，太可笑了。
“I've always wanted to be considered obstinate.”
我一直想被人說成固執。
把別人的貶詞笑著收下，反手變成自己的勳章。
I've always wanted to be considered ...
被人貼標籤、想反將一軍時用；語氣要輕快，不然像逞強。
I'll take that as a compliment. ／ That's exactly what I was going for.
口語
always 輕讀，considered obstinate 連讀。
I've always wanted to be considered stubborn. 我一直想被人說成倔。
“I have nothing to show for all my years.”
我這些年，什麼也拿不出手。
不喊苦，只承認沒有成果，失落全在 nothing 裡。
have nothing to show for ...
回顧付出卻沒結果時用；也能拿來勸別人別灰心。
All those years, and nothing to show for it. ／ My whole life adds up to nothing.
中性
nothing 重讀，show for 連讀，句尾下沉。
I have nothing to show for a decade of work. 幹了十年，我什麼成果也沒有。
“In my opinion, you are the most obstinate young woman I have ever met.”
依我看，您是我見過最固執的年輕女子。
用最高階下判決，聽著像責備，其實先認輸了。
you are the most ... I have ever met
給某人下評語、或半是抱怨半是服氣時用；正式場合可用。
You're the most stubborn person I know. ／ I've never met anyone quite like you.
正式
most obstinate 重讀，I have ever met 快速帶過。
You are the most patient person I have ever met. 你是我見過最有耐心的人。
下一章 · 04spunk膽量這場戲：與船長鬼魂爭房子fascinating 意思是「有意思極了、迷人」。這裡露西聽到房子鬧鬼，故意用這個詞，語氣既好奇又帶點挑釁，等於說「太合我意了」，跟一般的「有趣」很不一樣。
可以說 I don't want to be relied on。rely on 是「指望、依靠」，被動 be relied on 就是「被人指望」。房東轉述房主來信只有一句 Rely on you.，就是「就靠你了」。
基本是貶義，指「固執的、認死理的」。戲裡房東拿它當指責，但露西回答 I've always wanted to be considered obstinate，等於把罵人的話反手收下，聽上去倔得挺漂亮。
If I may so say 可以譯成「恕我直言」，用來說一句可能不太客氣的話做緩衝。房東就是先說 If I may so say, Mrs. Muir，再甩出一句 fiddlesticks（胡說）。
用 have nothing to show for。瑪莎感慨自己活了半輩子，I have nothing to show for all my years，就是「我這些年什麼都沒幹出來」。談工作、談人生、談一年過去都可以用。
