truth be told老實說

用一句反問把全體聽眾都拉進來，否認都顯得心虛。

There is something wrong with X, isn't there?

公開指出問題、又逼對方表態時用；私下聊天這麼問會太咄咄逼人。

Something is deeply wrong here, isn't it? ／ There is something off about all this, don't you think?

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terribly 重讀，isn't there 尾音略揚，尋求認同。

There is something wrong with this plan, isn't there? 這個方案有點問題，不是嗎？

一句平靜的斷言，把整場演講的立場說完，也回應了前面的警棍。

X will always retain their power.

強調文字、道理或記錄不會被壓下去時用；日常閒聊裡顯得很鄭重。

Words never lose their force. ／ Language keeps its power no matter what.

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always 輕讀，retain 重讀，power 收穩。

Letters will always retain their power. 書信永遠保有它的力量。

把罪責從臺上轉向每個人自己，一句頂得上長篇控訴。

You need only 動詞.

把矛頭指回對方、讓人自省時用；安慰或緩和氣氛時別用。

All you have to do is look in the mirror. ／ The guilty one is staring back at you.

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need only 連讀，mirror 重讀，句尾下沉。

You need only look at your own record. 你只要看看自己的記錄就夠了。

把極權說成一場交易：你交出沉默，他給你秩序。

All he demanded in return was ...

揭穿某種交換背後的代價時用；談判語境裡這樣說不合適。

All it asked for was your silence. ／ The only price was your quiet consent.

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in return 連讀，silent 與 obedient 並列重讀。

All the offer demanded in return was your loyalty. 那個提議要的回報，只是你的忠誠。

把三個大詞排成一列，像宣言的開頭，氣勢壓過具體指控。

His hope was to remind the world that ...

講某人的初衷、替行動正名時用；檢討事即時別拿它當擋箭牌。

He meant to remind people what matters. ／ The aim was to remind the world of its ideals.

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fairness 與 justice 並列，freedom 前稍停。

Her hope was to remind the team that trust comes first. 她只想提醒團隊，信任最重要。

把號召說成一句請求，用具體日期把承諾釘死。

I ask you to stand beside me, one year from tonight.

正式發出號召、約定某天行動時用；隨口約人別用這麼莊重的說法。

I ask you to stand with me a year from now. ／ Join me outside the gates in a year.

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ask you to 連讀，stand beside me 重讀，tonight 收住。

I ask you to stand beside me, one month from today. 我請你們在一個月後的今天，站到我身邊。