這場戲：飯桌爭論到撮合約會
第 10 章 · 共 16 章 · 5'01"
飯桌上瑪麗埃塔一句 Abortion is murder（墮胎就是謀殺）把天聊死，布羅克曼被她噎得直搖頭；另一邊，蘭迪盯上梅樂迪，問 who's that beautiful young girl you're with（跟你一起那漂亮姑娘是誰）。後來瑪麗埃塔嫌鮑里斯不像丈夫，說他更像個門診病人。想學怎麼抬槓、怎麼挖苦，這些說法很實用。
「墮胎就是謀殺」：that's the long and short of it（總而言之）
the long and short of it 總而言之、歸根結底wasting your breath 白費口舌dealing with 面對、應付某人
「你是他的看護」：his keeper（看護）
like a real husband 像真正的……一樣fell in love with 愛上了某人sleep with the light on 開著燈睡覺
飯桌上聊起政治，瑪麗埃塔一句 Abortion is murder, that's the long and short of it（墮胎就是謀殺，說到底就這麼回事）把氣氛弄僵，布羅克曼被她噎得沒話說。另一邊，一個叫蘭迪的年輕演員湊過來，問 who's that beautiful young girl you're with（跟你一起那漂亮姑娘是誰），對梅樂迪一見鍾情。到了蠟像館，瑪麗埃塔開始勸女兒改嫁，說鮑里斯 He's more of an outpatient and you're his keeper（更像門診病人，而你是他的看護），還嫌他是個瘸腿的象棋混子。夜裡瑪麗埃塔又和布羅克曼約起週日見面，掛了電話還嘴硬地說 praying Brockman has herpes（求布羅克曼得皰疹）。想學怎麼抬槓、怎麼挖苦，這些說法都很實用。
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。
“Abortion is murder, that's the long and short of it.”
墮胎就是謀殺，說到底就這麼回事。
一句話把立場釘死，又用俗語收尾，像判定又像隨口聳肩。
the long and short of it is ...
把複雜爭論一句話收尾時用；正式辯論裡這樣講顯得不留餘地。
That's the bottom line. ／ That's all there is to it.
中性
long and short 輕快連讀，句尾 it 收住不拖。
We tried everything; the long and short of it is we failed. 我們什麼都試過了，說到底就是失敗了。
“She's vulnerable, she's stupid and she's been abandoned.”
她脆弱、愚蠢，又被人拋棄了。
三個短句排比，把想勾搭的物件說成一無所有，冷到發笑。
She's ..., she's ... and she's been ...
半開玩笑地分析某人處境時用；當著當事人的面說會極傷人。
She's broke, lonely and out of options. ／ She's desperate and easy to read.
口語
三個 she's 節奏均勻，vulnerable 重讀，abandoned 收降。
He was broke, tired and out of excuses. 他沒錢、疲憊，也再找不出藉口。
“I have nothing to hold onto. Nothing! I have to have something.”
我什麼依靠都沒有。什麼都沒有！我得抓住點什麼。
重複和斷句把失控的恐慌寫出來，不是抱怨，是求救。
I have nothing to ... Nothing! I have to ...
情緒崩潰、強調一無所有時用；寫正式陳述時別這麼斷句。
I've got nothing left to hold on to. ／ There's nothing for me to cling to.
口語
Nothing 單獨重讀拉長，hold onto 連讀，中間別換氣。
I have nothing to show for it. Nothing! I have to start over. 我什麼成績都沒拿出來。什麼都沒有！我得從頭再來。
“He's more of an outpatient and you're his keeper.”
他更像個門診病人，而你是他的看護。
一句冷靜的比較，把婚姻關係降格成看護關係，刻薄到極點。
He's more of a ... and you're his ...
諷刺一段不對等的關係時用；對當事人的婚姻這樣評價會撕破臉。
He's less a partner than a patient. ／ You're a nurse, not a wife.
口語
more of an 連讀，outpatient 重音在前，keeper 收降。
He's more of a roommate and you're his cleaner. 他更像個室友，而你是他的保潔。
“This delightful young actor. He fell in love with you at first sight.”
這個討人喜歡的年輕演員。他對你一見鍾情。
母親用推銷的口氣替陌生人表白，荒誕又好笑。
He fell in love with ... at first sight.
講一見鍾情、浪漫巧合時用；對已婚的人這樣說會顯得不懷好意。
It was love at first sight. ／ He was smitten the moment he saw you.
中性
fell in love with 連讀，first sight 重讀，句尾收平。
They fell in love with the little house at first sight. 他們一眼就愛上了這座小房子。
下一章 · 11down the toilet付諸東流這場戲：曬照片被誇有天賦意思是「總而言之、歸根結底」，用來把一件事的要點一句話說清。瑪麗埃塔用它給墮胎問題下結論。
his keeper。keeper 指照看、管著某人的人，說 you're his keeper 就是「你是管著他的人」，常帶調侃。
意思是「做某事毫無困難」，後面接動名詞。have no problem getting her into bed 就是「把她弄上床毫無困難」。
字面是「開著燈睡覺」，形容一個人膽小或神經緊張。瑪麗埃塔用它嘲諷鮑里斯連睡覺都要開燈。
reverence for life。reverence 是深深的敬重，瑪麗埃塔用它形容她看中的年輕人有正經的價值觀。
