eke out a living勉強餬口

把拒絕吃藥說成捍衛清醒，狂得理直氣壯又好笑。

I won't have ... when I'm the only one who ...

堅持己見、拒絕別人好意時用；對醫生或上級別這麼硬頂。

I won't let anyone cloud my judgment. ／ I refuse to be dulled when I see things clearly.

中性

won't have 連讀，befuddled by 輕快，only one 重讀。

I won't have my plan watered down when I'm the one who did the research. 研究是我做的，我可不讓計劃被稀釋。

先鋪一句玫瑰，再一記捕蠅草，比喻又狠又妙。

Botanically speaking, you're more of a ...

想用玩笑式的比喻損人時用；對不熟的人或客戶別亂用。

Metaphorically, you're more of a thorn. ／ In gardening terms, you're pure weed.

口語

Botanically 重讀，more of a 連讀，flytrap 上揚。

Culinarily speaking, you're more of a chili than a dessert. 從吃上說，你更像辣椒，不是甜點。

跳樓沒死成還拿雨篷開玩笑，黑色幽默全在這句。

Can you believe ...? I ...

用誇張口吻講自己的倒霉事時用；別在嚴肅安慰場合這樣講。

You won't believe what happened to me. ／ Can you believe my luck?

口語

Can you believe 語速快，goddamn 咬重，重複句降調。

Can you believe I missed the bus twice? I missed it twice. 你敢信我連公交都錯過兩趟嗎？錯過兩趟。

把謀生和活著的意義擺在一起，一句話說透厭世。

More important than ..., is ...

要強調真正重要的那件事時用；日常閒聊別這麼文縐縐。

What matters more than the how is the why. ／ Beyond how I get by lies why I go on.

literary

More important than 一氣呵成，bother to live 輕讀。

More important than what I earn, is why I do the work. 比我掙多少更重要的，是我為什麼做這份工作。

剛把人得罪光，反手誇他該辦魅力學校，反諷十足。

You should open the ... School.

用反話調侃朋友的粗暴時用；對真正在意的人別這麼刺。

You're a real people person, aren't you? ／ They should put you in charge of manners.

口語

Charm School 兩個詞都重讀，尾音帶笑收住。

You should open a School of Patience, the way you snap at everyone. 你動不動就沖人發火，真該去開一所耐心學校。