這場戲：被追問那封信的來歷
第 8 章 · 共 15 章 · 2'20"
霍華德拿著那封信當面質問萊斯利。她先發誓說 I didn't write it（不是我寫的），撐不住才承認，又辯稱那只是 planning a surprise（準備一個驚喜）——想給羅伯特的生日訂把新槍。霍華德說 I shall have to talk very plainly to you（我得跟你把話挑明瞭說）。被追問到說不出話時，這幾句特別好用。
改口就完了，只能「堅持不改口」：stick to it
afraid to 不敢做某事stick to it 堅持不改口、不放棄planning a surprise 準備一個驚喜
最後一句「把話挑明瞭說」：talk very plainly
I absolutely must see you 我非見你不可I won't answer for the consequences 後果我可不敢保證talk very plainly 把話挑明瞭說
霍華德帶著那封信來質問萊斯利。她先一口咬定 I didn't write it（不是我寫的），說如果筆跡對得上，那就是 forgery（偽造品）；可霍華德提醒她，控方可以 cross-examine（盤問）家裡的男僕，查清哈蒙德死的那天有沒有人送信。她終於承認信是自己寫的，卻解釋說是在 planning a surprise（準備驚喜）——為羅伯特的生日訂一把新槍。霍華德沒被說服，又念出信裡那句 I'm desperate（我快撐不住了），最後說 I shall have to talk very plainly to you（我得跟你把話挑明瞭說）。否認、盤問、準備驚喜、把話挑明，戲裡把這幾個說法全用上了。
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。
“I didn't write it. I swear I didn't write it.”
我沒寫。我發誓，我沒寫。
一句否認連說兩遍還加上發誓，越用力越顯得心虛。
I didn't ... I swear I didn't ...
被人冤枉、急著自證時用；對朋友可信，對警察或上司反而顯得慌。
I never did it, I swear. ／ I'm telling you, I didn't do it.
口語
didn't write 連讀吞音，I swear 放慢加重。
I didn't take it. I swear I didn't take it. 我沒拿。我發誓，我沒拿。
“Then it'll be a forgery.”
那就是偽造的。
五個字把責任推得乾乾淨淨，冷靜得近乎挑釁。
Then it'll be a forgery.
被質疑時把矛頭轉開時用；強硬又簡短，對長輩說會顯頂撞。
Then someone forged it. ／ So it's a fake.
中性
it'll be 連讀，forgery 重音在前。
Then it'll be a forgery, because I never signed it. 那它就是偽造的，因為我從沒簽過。
“It's not dated. It might have been written years ago.”
信上沒寫日期。也許是很多年前寫的。
一句就拆掉日期這條證據鏈，辯護人慣用的空檔。
It's not dated. It might have been written years ago.
指出證據有空子時用；語氣剋制，談判和辯解裡都常見。
There is no date on it. ／ It could be years old.
中性
might have been written 弱讀快連，years ago 收尾。
It's not dated, so it could have been written any time. 上面沒日期，什麼時候寫的都說得通。
“I did write that letter, but I was afraid to mention it.”
那封信確實是我寫的，可我不敢提。
從全盤否認到承認，中間只隔一句證詞，轉折全在這半句裡。
I did ..., but I was afraid to ...
承認自己做過卻一直瞞著時用；對信任的人坦白很自然。
I did write it, but I was too scared to say so. ／ Yes, I wrote it; I just could not admit it.
中性
did write 重讀強調，afraid to 輕連。
I did borrow it, but I was afraid to tell you. 我確實借了，可我不敢告訴你。
“I was forced to stick to it.”
就只能硬撐下去。
把謊言說成「被迫」，責任又輕了一層，是很典型的自辯。
I was forced to stick to it.
解釋自己為什麼一直不改口時用；帶辯解意味，慎用於正式認錯。
I had to keep to my story. ／ I couldn't take it back after that.
中性
forced to 連讀，stick to it 三詞一頓一收。
Once I had said it, I was forced to stick to it. 話一齣口，我就只能硬撐下去。
“Then you'll be called upon to explain why you asked him to come to see you when Robert was away.”
那你就得解釋，為什麼趁羅伯特不在時叫他來見你。
律師只擺事實不下判斷，卻把最難的難題原樣推回給她。
Then you'll be called upon to explain why ...
指出對方接下來必須交代的事時用；正式、剋制，適合談判和公文。
Then you will have to explain why ... ／ You'll need to account for that.
正式
called upon 連讀，explain why 上揚引出下文。
Then you'll be called upon to explain why the deadline was missed. 那你就得解釋為什麼沒趕上截止日期。
“Leslie, I shall have to talk very plainly to you.”
萊斯利，我得跟你把話挑明瞭說。
一句預告，既是提醒也是最後通牒，把整場談話的重量壓了下來。
I shall have to talk very plainly to you.
正式談話前先立規矩時用；對熟人顯得鄭重，別拿來說閒話。
I'm going to speak plainly now. ／ Let me be blunt with you.
正式
shall have to 連讀，plainly 重讀收句。
I shall have to talk plainly to you about the money. 關於錢的事，我得跟你把話說清楚。
下一章 · 09save your neck保命脫險這場戲：求律師買下那封信「偽造品、贗品」。萊斯利說 If the original is in your handwriting... then it'll be a forgery，意思是如果筆跡對得上，那封信就只能是偽造的。
I swear。萊斯利連說 I didn't write it. I swear I didn't write it.，用 swear 起誓，語氣比一般保證重得多。
是「堅持不改口」。萊斯利說自己一旦聲稱和哈蒙德沒來往，I was forced to stick to it，就只能咬牙把這個說法撐下去。
talk very plainly。霍華德最後說 I shall have to talk very plainly to you，就是「我得跟你把話挑明瞭說」，接下來要說的多半不中聽。
cross-examine，多指法庭上對證人的盤問。霍華德警告萊斯利，控方可以 cross-examine 男僕，就是能當庭盤問他們、查清送信的細節。
意思是「準備一個驚喜」。萊斯利說自己 planning a surprise for Robert's birthday，就是給羅伯特的生日準備驚喜，後面常接 for sb 說明給誰準備。
