這場戲：給新婚朋友挑禮物
第 14 章 · 共 20 章 · 3'22"
哈利和莎莉在商店給要結婚的傑斯和瑪麗挑禮物，哈利一眼相中一臺唱歌機，拉著莎莉唱起《奧克拉荷馬》裡的歌；莎莉卻一心要找一雙紅色麂皮高跟鞋。哈利找到得意禮物時喊 Call off the dogs. The hunt is over（別再追了，獵物到手了）。想學挑禮物、逛街時的隨口英語，這幾句很生動。
❝ 獨白 · 14 句 老人的相親往事
從說媒講到偷看、再到成婚，句子短、停頓多，像真人在慢慢回憶。
找到禮物大喊 Call off the dogs（別再追了），還說 This is the greatest（這太棒了）
pith helmet 遮陽盔call off the dogs 別再追了、收手the greatest 太棒了、最棒的report to 向某人報到
哈利和莎莉來到商店，要給即將結婚的傑斯和瑪麗挑禮物。有人講起一段舊式的婚約往事：We were not supposed to meet until the wedding（我們本來要到婚禮那天才能見面）。哈利開始亂看禮物，看見遮陽盔就吐槽 Why is this necessary in life?（這東西在生活裡到底有什麼用？）；找到滿意的禮物時又喊 Call off the dogs. The hunt is over（別再追了，獵物到手了）。他相中一臺 singing machine（唱歌機），放著《奧克拉荷馬》的歌詞，兩人跟著唱起 Surrey With the Fringe on Top；莎莉還惦記著紅色麂皮高跟鞋。想練逛街、挑禮物時的隨口英語，這幾個說法很好用：go through a rough period 是正處在低谷，supposed to 是按理本該，call off the dogs 是別再找了。
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。
“He's going through a rough period. I just don't want you to reject him.”
他正處在低谷期。我只是不想讓你拒絕他。
先替朋友說了難處，再輕輕交代自己的顧慮，護著人也給足臺階。
Someone is going through a rough period.
替朋友說情、請對方體諒時用；對當事人背後這樣講容易傷人。
He's having a hard time right now. ／ She's going through a lot at the moment.
中性
going through a 連讀，reject him 收得乾脆。
Be patient with him; he's going through a rough period. 對他耐心點，他正處在低谷期。
“But she looked really nice to me.”
可她在我眼裡真好看。
繞了一圈相親考察，落點卻是最樸素的一句喜歡，特別真。
Someone looked (really) nice to me.
事後說起對某人的第一印象時用；正式介紹裡不適合這麼隨意。
She struck me as lovely. ／ I thought she looked beautiful.
中性
looked really 連讀，nice to me 放輕收尾。
I had my doubts, but she looked really nice to me. 我本來有點猶豫，可我覺得她真好看。
“Uh-oh. Call off the dogs. The hunt is over.”
不用再找了。獵物到手了。
拿打獵的說法講挑到禮物，誇張得剛好，特別有喜感。
Call off something. It's over.
玩笑地說事情搞定了、別再折騰時用；正式報告裡別這麼說。
Stand down, we found it. ／ You can stop looking, this is it.
口語
call off 連讀，dogs 稍重，hunt is over 放慢。
Call off the dogs, I found the perfect gift. 別找了，我挑到完美的禮物了。
“Why is this necessary in life?”
這東西在人生裡到底有什麼用？
對著一件荒唐商品發出的靈魂拷問，把消費主義笑話一句問到底。
Why is this necessary in life?
看到雞肋商品、吐槽無用之物時能用；認真討論工作需求時別說，會顯得敷衍。
Who actually needs this? ／ Why does this exist?
口語
Why is this 連讀，necessary 重音在 -cess-，in life 輕輕下壓。
Why is this necessary in life? They already have a night light. 這東西在人生裡有什麼用？人家已經有小夜燈了。
A man came to me and said... "I found nice girl for you. She lives in the next village... and she is ready for marriage." We were not supposed to meet until the wedding... but I wanted to make sure. So I sneak into her village... hid behind a tree... watch her washing the clothes. I think if I don't like the way she looks... I don't marry her. But she looked really nice to me. So I said, "Okay," to the man. We get married.
有個男人來找我，說…… “我給你找了個好姑娘。 她就住在鄰村…… 而且她準備好嫁人了。” 我們本來要到婚禮那天才能見面…… 可我想先確認一下。 於是我偷偷溜進她村裡…… 躲在一棵樹後面…… 看她洗衣服。 我想，要是我看不上她的長相…… 我就不娶她。 可她在我眼裡真好看。 所以我就跟那人說“行”。 我們結婚了。
下一章 · 15sooner or later遲早這場戲：撞見前妻強裝鎮定字面是「把狗叫回來」，實際是「別再追了、收手吧」。臺詞裡找到心儀禮物時喊 Call off the dogs，就是「別找了，獵物到手了」，很形象。
go through a rough period。臺詞裡 He's going through a rough period 就是「他正處在低谷期」，形容一段日子過得不容易。
表示「按理應該、本該」。臺詞裡 We were not supposed to meet until the wedding 就是「我們本來要到婚禮那天才能見面」，常帶點遺憾或意外。
go out with someone。臺詞裡 Do you think you could go out with him 就是「你覺得你能跟他約會嗎」，指開始和某人交往。
不是「彙報」，而是「（請）到我這兒來報到」。臺詞裡 Sally, please report to me 是叫人過來看東西，帶點玩笑的口吻。
