前不著村後不著店
講故事的人先交代加油站的位置：in the middle of nowhere（前不著村後不著店），沙漠深處，荒無人煙；重複 middle 讓孤立感更重。
It was in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere,Waking Life · 2001 — 第 7 / 13 章 · 4'04" · B2
沙漠加油站槍戰往事：in the middle of nowhere
沙漠深處最後一個加油站，有人揉著眼睛講起那次的事：in the middle of nowhere（前不著村後不著店），隔一陣子才有車 pull in（拐進來）加油。故事越講越險，最後一句 Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out?（你扣一下試試，看會怎樣）把閒聊變成挑釁；想形容荒野、學一句不客氣的回話，都能用。
發生了什麼
一個人講起自己經歷過的一件事：沙漠正中間、前不著村後不著店的地方有家加油站，是進維加斯前的最後一家，隔一陣子就有車 pull in（拐進來）加油。有天他正睡著，聽見動靜，看見有人往麵包車裡塞輪胎，喊了一聲，對方掏出刀衝過來。故事一路講到開槍；隨後一句「武裝起來的民眾，是抵禦暴政最好的防線」，再一句 I'll drink to that（這話我贊成，乾杯）。收尾那句 Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out?（你扣一下試試，看會怎樣）把閒聊變成了挑釁。講故事、附和、舉杯、激將，這幾個說法都用得上。
這場戲看什麼
- 留意文學詞如何滑進酒吧粗話
- 注意槍戰段落的短句和擬聲詞
- 看聽者用一句話把故事變成口號
留意這幾個短語
fleeting emotionsin the middle of nowherebuilt like a brick shithousefanned the hammer
00:00 / 04:04空白鍵 播放 · ← → 換句 · R 單句循環
此刻
本章短語
in the middle of nowhere
前不著村後不著店far from any town or help
講故事的人先交代加油站的位置：in the middle of nowhere（前不著村後不著店），沙漠深處，荒無人煙；重複 middle 讓孤立感更重。
Our car broke down in the middle of nowhere.我們的車在前不著村後不著店的地方拋錨了。
本章還有
- fleeting emotions
轉瞬即逝的情緒
- built like a brick shithouse
粗俗：壯得像堵牆
- fanned the hammer
快速撥擊錘連發
- I hear that
我懂，我同意
- I'll drink to that
這話我贊成，乾杯
本章全部批註
51 句台詞裡標了 29 處
去某地的路上
but on the way to Vegas, so, you know,隔一陣子就有一次
every once in a while a car would pull in, get gas.車開進來停下
every once in a while a car would pull in, get gas.進某地前最後一家加油站
It was the last gas stop before Vegas.全部空間就這麼多
Office had the chair, had a cash register, and that was all the room there was in that office.定語從句省略：all the room there was 中省略了關係代詞 that，there was 修飾 room，意思是‘全部空間就這些’.
Office had the chair, had a cash register, and that was all the room there was in that office.出了什麼事
I'm rubbing the sand out of my eyes, trying to see what's going on,在遠遠的盡頭
and way down at the very end of the gas station...there's an 常連成 /ðerzən/，/z/ 直接滑進 an 的輕 /ə/，an 只留一個弱音節
And I see there's an Econoline van down there.掏出一把刀
he's built like a brick shithouse, pulls out a knife, it's 1 2 inches long,粗俗：壯漢體格——熟人粗話裡形容人壯，正式場合別用
he's built like a brick shithouse, pulls out a knife, it's 1 2 inches long,朝我衝過來
and then starts running at me as fast as he can, going,拼盡全力地快
and then starts running at me as fast as he can, going,從門口闖進來
cocked the trigger, and just as I turned around, he was comin' through the door.comin' 的 g 不露面，直接滑進 through，別停。
cocked the trigger, and just as I turned around, he was comin' through the door.開了一槍
And I fired a round, and it hit him. Boom. Right in the chest.正打中胸口
And I fired a round, and it hit him. Boom. Right in the chest.嗑了藥，興奮劑上頭
And he must've been on drugs, on speed or something, you know, because he stood up...情態完成：must've been 是 must have been 的縮寫，表示對過去的強推斷：‘他當時肯定嗑藥了’。
And he must've been on drugs, on speed or something, you know, because he stood up...must've 的 v 很輕，重心落在 been，別逐字念滿。
And he must've been on drugs, on speed or something, you know, because he stood up...吸了安非他命——談吸毒或亢奮狀態，正式場合改用 stimulants
And he must've been on drugs, on speed or something, you know, because he stood up...幾乎嚇懵了
And I was pretty much in shock, so I just held the trigger back and fanned the hammer.從那時起直到現在
And ever since then, I always carry this.抵禦暴政的最佳防線
A well-armed populace is the best defense against tyranny.這麼久以來
And you know, I haven't fired this in such a long time, I don't even know if it’ll work.現在完成時：have not + 過去分詞表示從過去到現在的狀態；in such a long time 強調隔了太久。
And you know, I haven't fired this in such a long time, I don't even know if it’ll work.扣下扳機
Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out?don’t you 快說時擠成一拍，t 與 y 幾乎不留縫。
Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out?看懂「沙漠加油站槍戰往事」
發音重點
- there's an — there's an 常連成 /ðerzən/，/z/ 直接滑進 an 的輕 /ə/，an 只留一個弱音節
- comin' through — comin' 的 g 不露面，直接滑進 through，別停。
- must've been — must've 的 v 很輕，重心落在 been，別逐字念滿。
- don’t you — don’t you 快說時擠成一拍，t 與 y 幾乎不留縫。
every once in a while a car would pull in, get gas.偶爾會有車開進來，加個油。 用 would 和兩個短動作，把荒涼加油站寫成反覆發生的日常。
It was in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere,那地方在沙漠深處，前不著村後不著店。 兩個 middle 疊用，把荒涼說成一個人的座標。
A well-armed populace is the best defense against tyranny.武裝起來的民眾是抵禦暴政的最佳防線。 把私人槍戰拔高成政治口號，語氣突然變硬。
I'll drink to that.這話我贊成，乾一杯。 四個詞完成附和、祝酒和站隊，短得像碰杯聲。
Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out?你何不扣下扳機，自己試試看？ 用建議句式包住挑釁，把酒吧閒聊頂到危險邊緣。
關於這一章的問題
in the middle of nowhere 是什麼意思？
前不著村後不著店，形容四周荒無人煙。臺詞裡說加油站 in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere，就是沙漠正中間，什麼都沒有。
「這話我贊成，乾杯」英語怎麼說？
I'll drink to that。聽到一句中聽的話，舉杯附和就這一句；臺詞裡先說「武裝起來的民眾，是抵禦暴政最好的防線」，緊跟著的一句就是它。
I hear that 是「我聽見了」嗎？
不是。這裡是我懂、我同意的意思，用來接住別人剛說的話；臺詞裡 I hear that 接在「從那以後，我就一直帶著這個」後面，就是接話附和，跟聽見沒聽見沒有關係。
pull the trigger and find out 是什麼語氣？
激將。前面剛說好久沒開過這槍、不知道還能不能打響，緊接一句「你扣一下試試，看會怎樣」，不回答問題，直接把話頂回去。
every once in a while 和 pull in 怎麼用？
every once in a while 是隔一陣子就有一次，pull in 是車拐進來停下。臺詞裡連在一起：every once in a while a car would pull in, get gas，講小地方的日常最自然。
半夢半醒的人生 · 共 13 章
全部章節 →
下一章 · 第 8 章make the best of it討教清明夢訣竅
第 1 章on an even keel搭上小船聽人生道理
第 2 章write ourselves off有人替存在主義辯護
第 3 章at the whim of講課人把演化講成加速史
第 4 章collective memory兩人聊夢境與轉世
第 5 章charade獨白追問自由意志
第 6 章two sides of the same coin演說號召反抗控制
正在看 · 第 7 章in the middle of nowhere沙漠加油站槍戰往事
第 8 章make the best of it討教清明夢訣竅
第 9 章come out of the moment桌邊聊電影與神聖當下
第 10 章be an ant陌生人聊不想當螞蟻
第 11 章beside the point夢裡追問自己醒沒醒
第 12 章coauthors of橋上獨白談自我
第 13 章false awakenings夢裡醒來還在夢裡看到第 7 / 13 章 · 後面還有約 19 分鐘