on the chance that抱著萬一的希望

一句平常的辦案交代，卻把「碰碰運氣」的偵探思路說得又穩又實在。

on the chance that ...

想表達抱著萬一的希望去做某事時用；正式文書裡別用這麼口語的說法。

in case someone saw you ／ on the off chance that someone noticed

中性

重音落在 circulate 和 saw，on the chance that 一氣連讀。

I'll ask around on the chance that someone remembers her. 我到處問問，說不定有人記得她。

把家庭秩序的崩塌比作機器卡進打蛋器，畫面又準又刻薄。

throw an eggbeater into the wheels of ...

調侃誰打亂了別人井井有條的安排時用；對長輩或正式場合別這麼說。

throw a spanner in the works ／ upset the whole applecart

口語

重讀 eggbeater 和 wheels，Victorian 咬清三個音節。

Your surprise visit threw a wrench into our careful schedule. 你突然到訪，把我們精心排好的日程全打亂了。

拿最狼狽的意外當愛情開場，一句話就叫人記住這段相遇。

The very first time I ..., ...

回憶第一次做某事、且當時出了意外時用；寫正式敘述別這麼逗趣。

The moment I met her, everything fell apart. ／ The first time we spoke, the lights went out.

口語

rather funny 輕快，very first 重讀，fell right in on me 連讀。

The very first time I drove alone, the tire went flat. 我第一次獨自開車，輪胎就爆了。

冷靜一句，點破親情證詞的分量，是法庭裡最實用的常識。

A ... witness may be of more value.

討論證據或判斷誰的話更可信時能用；日常安慰人時別用，會顯得太冷靜。

An outsider's account often carries more weight. ／ A detached observer is harder to doubt.

正式

disinterested 重音在第二音節，may be of 連讀，more value 收住。

A disinterested reviewer may be of more value than a loyal friend. 一箇中立的評審，可能比忠實的朋友更有參考價值。