a sure sign明確的徵兆

把『犯規是絕望的訊號』一句說透，兵事和牌局都通用。

Nobody starts to ... till he sees he can't ...

點評別人使壞、比賽動作髒時可用；對當事人當面指責時少用。

people only cheat when they're losing ／ dirty play is the last resort of the desperate

中性

重音在 foul 和 can't，till 輕讀帶過。

Nobody starts to bend the rules till he sees he can't win straight. 沒人一開始就鑽規則空子，除非發現正面贏不了。

前半句還在引用體面話，後半句一個 her legs 把軍威拉進葷笑話，反差極狠。

I admit he said nothing about ...

熟人玩笑裡接一句反差吐槽時能用；正式場合或有生人在場別說。

he was quiet about that part ／ notice what he left out

口語

I admit 平穩，her legs 稍重，句尾上揚。

He promised us a short meeting. I admit he said nothing about the follow-up. 他保證會開得短，我承認他沒提會後那堆事。

用捕魚的畫面講抓俘虜，把軍事行動說得像家常打漁，輕描淡寫反而更狂。

I had ... across, and netted them like ...

輕鬆得手後跟朋友吹牛時用；對上級彙報別用這種口氣。

picked them up like fish in a net ／ scooped them all up

口語

had a boom across 連讀，like salmon 收尾放低。

I had a filter ready, and netted the spam like fish. 我提前設了過濾，把這些垃圾郵件像撈魚一樣收了。

兩句話對仗，把戰場認路說成晝夜兩副面孔，冷靜裡藏著對戰爭的熟稔與疲憊。

I know it at night. In the daytime it looks different.

聊熟悉的東西換個環境就變樣時用；對上級嚴肅彙報別用這種感慨口氣。

I know this street after dark; by day it feels foreign. ／ Night and day, it's two different places.

中性

at night 連讀，daytime 重音在前，different 降調。

I know the market at dawn; by noon it belongs to tourists. 我認得清晨的市場，一到中午它就成遊客的了。

一句平鋪直敘把酷刑的存在說成常識，不加形容詞反而更冷。

X knows how to make someone do ...

說某方手段狠、逼人開口時能用；日常別拿來形容朋友，會讓人不適。

They have ways of making people talk. ／ They know exactly how to break someone.

中性

Germans 重讀，know how to 連讀，make them talk 放慢。

Those negotiators know how to make a team move. 那些談判代表很懂怎麼逼一個團隊讓步。

臨上戰場前最實在的溫柔，用一封家書把生死未卜壓住，不煽情卻扎心。

If any of you have ..., I'll take them.

出發前幫別人帶話帶東西時用；正式公文或命令裡不用這種口語。

If anyone has a message for home, I'll carry it. ／ Give me your letters; I'll see they arrive.

中性

any of you 連讀，home 稍頓，I'll take them 收低。

If any of you have gifts for your families, I'll carry them. 你們誰有給家裡的禮物，我幫著帶。