這場戲：柏林重逢聊起仇家
第 6 章 · 共 30 章 · 2'30"
柏林的會面裡，坎迪 on account of（為了）一封信專程趕來，亨特小姐卻說自己因為是英國人丟了工作，打算回國。坎迪安慰她：Cheer up. England isn't as bad as all that（打起精神，英國也沒糟到那種地步）。想學英式紳士的客氣話和安慰話，這幾句很典型。
「英國也沒糟到那種地步」：as bad as all that
call on 登門拜訪not very popular 不太受歡迎as bad as all that 糟到那種地步in a few months' time 幾個月後
柏林的會面裡，坎迪說自己昨天才到，亨特小姐一聽才知道，他是 on account of（為了）她那封信專程趕來的。可她這邊並不順：因為是英國人，她在柏林不太受歡迎，丟了工作，只好打算回國。坎迪趕緊 Cheer up. England isn't as bad as all that（打起精神，英國也沒糟到那種地步）。隨後兩人商量怎麼找考尼茨——咖啡館裡有他常年保留的固定桌位，亨特小姐還講起大學生社團靠喝啤酒、決鬥爭主張。坎迪打趣自己 feel like Stanley and Livingstone（像斯坦利和利文斯通），對方最後回他一句 you are Livingstone, I presume（我猜您就是利文斯通吧）。as bad as all that 是「糟到那種地步」；on account of 是「因為、為了」；I presume 是客氣的「我想」。
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。
“Nor had I until now. I only arrived yesterday.”
我也是直到現在才知道。我昨天剛到。
用倒裝把“彼此彼此”說得剋制又體面，比 Neither did I 更有舊時代教養。
Nor had I until now.
別人說沒想到時，用來接“我也一樣”，語氣剋制，別在隨意場合硬用倒裝。
Neither did I until now. ／ Nor did I, as it happens.
正式
Nor 輕讀，重音落在 had，until now 連讀收尾。
Nor had I heard of the merger until now; the memo only reached me today. 我也是剛聽說這樁合併，通知今天才到我手上。
“Can you possibly mean that you've come here solely on account of my letter?”
你該不會是說，你專程為了我那封信才來的吧？
possibly 加 solely 把驚訝和不敢信疊在一起，禮貌裡全是心跳。
Can you possibly mean that ...?
對別人的說法又驚又不敢信時用，熟人之間可縮短，正式場合才用整句。
Do you really mean that ...? ／ You can't seriously mean that ...
正式
possibly 重讀，mean that 連讀，句尾語調上揚。
Can you possibly mean that you flew here just for my birthday? 你不會是說，你專程飛過來就為了給我過生日吧？
“Cheer up. England isn't as bad as all that, you know.”
振作點。英國也沒你說的那麼糟，你知道的。
as bad as all that 是英式安慰的經典骨架，輕輕把對方的絕望往下壓。
it isn't as bad as all that
安慰把處境說得太慘的朋友時用，語氣要輕，別用來否定別人的真實痛苦。
it's not as bad as all that ／ things aren't as bad as they seem
中性
Cheer up 乾脆，as bad as 連讀，you know 輕收。
Come on, the exam isn't as bad as all that; you can still retake it. 別這樣，考試沒那麼可怕，你還能補考。
“It's a proud father that has a scarred son, and vice versa.”
有個臉上帶疤的兒子，當爹的才驕傲；反過來也一樣。
用強調句把德式尚武風氣一句點破，and vice versa 更添冷幽默。
It's a ... that ...
想強調某類人才符合某個特點時用，帶調侃口吻，正式報告裡不要用。
It's the quiet ones that surprise you. ／ It's the second try that counts.
literary
重音落在 proud 和 scarred，vice versa 兩個詞都咬清。
It's the cheapest seats that sell out first, and vice versa for the front rows. 最先賣光的偏是最便宜的座位，前排反倒剩著。
“I should obviously be absolutely lost without you.”
沒有你，我顯然會徹底抓瞎。
obviously 和 absolutely 連用把客套誇到滑稽，正好顯出坎迪的笨拙殷勤。
I should be absolutely lost without you.
對幫了大忙的人半開玩笑地道謝時用，認真求助時顯得輕浮，要慎用。
I'd be completely lost without you. ／ I don't know what I'd do without you.
中性
obviously 和 absolutely 都重讀，lost without you 連讀。
I'd be absolutely lost without you on this report; thanks for staying late. 這份報告沒你我真的抓瞎，謝謝你留下來加班。
下一章 · 07carry coals to Newcastle多此一舉這場戲：咖啡館裡為政治爭辯意思是「糟到那種地步」，常用於否認事情有那麼壞。原句 England isn't as bad as all that，就是「英國也沒那麼糟」，拿來安慰人正好。
說 call on someone，比較正式、有禮貌。原句 I was about to call on you，就是「我正打算去拜訪您」，不是打電話。
意思是「因為、為了」，比 because of 更書面。原句 solely on account of my letter，就是「專程為了我那封信」，solely 加重了語氣。
是客氣、略帶正式的「我想、大概吧」，比 I think 更端一點。原句 you are Livingstone, I presume，借的是那句著名問候語。
字面是「沒你就迷失了」，指「沒你完全不行」，可用在依賴別人幫忙的場合。原句 I should obviously be absolutely lost without you，語氣誇張又客氣。
