the end of days末日

不講恐懼，只講一個退回到幼兒動作的細節。孩子吮手指，比任何哭喊都更能說明這場災難有多重。

I haven't seen him ... since he was ...

用一個小細節說明某人受到多大沖擊時用，語氣剋制，常出現在講述和寫作裡。

He hasn't done that since he was little. ／ I haven't seen him like this in years.

中性

suck his thumb 連讀，two years old 放慢收尾。

I haven't seen her this quiet since she changed jobs. 自從她換了工作，我就沒見她這麼安靜過。

先給出「霧裡有東西」，再補上具體損失，恐怖全靠留白。語序平實，卻讓人再不敢望向窗外。

There's something in the ...; it took ...

轉述一次神秘或無法解釋的失蹤、襲擊時用，語氣壓低；輕鬆玩笑的場合別用。

Something in the fog got him. ／ It came out of nowhere and took him.

口語

something 壓低，took 重讀，John Lee 收緊收尾。

There is something in that lake; it took our boat motor last summer. 那湖裡有東西，去年夏天把我們的船用馬達弄走了。

兩個短句全是義務和牽掛，沒有形容詞，卻把一位母親的全部動機說清楚。can't 和 gotta 的對照，正好是「不能」與「必須」的撕扯。

I can't stay here, I gotta ...

說明自己不得不離開、有必須承擔的責任時用，語氣急切；日常小事這樣說會顯得過於戲劇化。

I can't remain here; I have to get back to my children. ／ I can't just sit here, my kids need me.

口語

can't stay here 連讀，gotta get home 重讀。

I can t stay here I have to get home to my kids. 我不能待在這兒，我得回家照看孩子。

一句撇清的託詞，把「我不幫你」包裝成「我也有難處」。它是災難片裡最真實的自私，也是很好的日常推脫句式。

I got my own ... to worry about

婉拒承擔別人的事、強調自身難處時用，語氣自保；對求助者說會顯得冷漠。

I have my own problems to deal with. ／ I've got my own family to think about.

口語

got my own 連讀，worry about 重讀收尾。

I got my own deadline to worry about right now. 我現在還有自己的截止日期要操心。