這場戲：唸完信決定賣房
第 23 章 · 共 27 章 · 4'55"
愛麗絲為躲托尼搬去外地，等來一封信。唸到 I should have stayed in my own backyard（我本該守著自己的一畝三分地）、I'll get over it（我會走出來的），一家人聽完，爺爺當即決定賣房搬去陪她。誰知這一賣，柯比家拿下整片街區，鄰居全收到搬遷通知。想安慰失戀的人，這兩句都用得上。
❝ 獨白 · 17 句 「我本該守著自己的一畝三分地」：own backyard
own backyard 自己的一畝三分地get over it 走出來、緩過來take good care of 好好照顧
「整筆交易就卡住了」：the whole deal
live alone 獨自住had a hard time 費了好大勁the whole deal 整筆交易
愛麗絲躲到了外地，托尼上門打聽她的下落，彭妮只能勸他別再來了，說這樣只會 make things worse（把事情弄得更糟）。不久愛麗絲來信，信裡說自己又痛苦又糊塗，還寫 I should have stayed in my own backyard（我本該守著自己的一畝三分地），又說別擔心，I'll get over it（我會走出來的）。一家人聽完，爺爺決定把房子賣給布萊克利，搬去愛麗絲身邊；可這一賣，整片街區的鄰居都被通知十天內騰空。想勸人別越幫越忙，用 make things worse；想說守好本分，用 own backyard；想安慰失戀的人，說 get over it。
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。
“She can never come back here. It would only make her miserable.”
她再也回不到這兒了。回來只會讓她更難受。
把疼愛說成一句冷靜的判斷，越平淡越叫人心裡發酸。
It would only make someone ...
替人做痛苦決定時用；對著當事人說會顯得替人拿主意。
Going back would only hurt her more. ／ It would just make things harder for her.
中性
only make 連讀，miserable 三個音節別吞尾音。
Going back there would only make you miserable. 回到那兒，只會讓你更難受。
“If that old gent hadn't sold, the whole deal would've been blocked.”
要是那老頭不賣，整筆交易就卡住了。
一句虛擬語氣把整盤生意的要害講得明明白白。
If ... hadn't ..., ... would've been ...
復盤關鍵一環時用；說錯人或說漏嘴就容易得罪人。
Without his signature, the deal would have died. ／ One refusal could have blocked the entire plan.
口語
hadn't sold 吞音，would've been 縮讀，blocked 收在 p 上。
If she hadn't stepped in, the launch would've been delayed. 要不是她插手，上線早就拖了。
“Sounds to me like she's not coming back.”
我看她這架勢，是不打算回來了。
不加評論，只把聽到的推出來，一句話等於宣判。
Sounds to me like ...
根據線索下判斷時用；對當事人說等於替人宣判，慎用。
It sounds like she's gone for good. ／ From the letter, she isn't coming home.
口語
Sounds to 連讀，not coming back 三個詞都輕快帶過。
Sounds to me like they've already made up their minds. 聽這意思，他們早就拿定主意了。
“Well, we had to leave this house sometime, anyway.”
反正這房子我們早晚也是要離開的。
把不得不離開說成遲早的事，用一句輕描淡寫接住了傷感。
Well, we had to X sometime, anyway.
場合：安慰要搬家、離職或告別的人，幫對方把話說開；對正傷心的人別搶著說，先聽完再講。
We had to move on sooner or later anyway. ／ Well, it was bound to happen sometime.
中性
Well 輕嘆，anyway 收得乾脆。
Well, we had to leave that office sometime, anyway. 反正那間辦公室我們早晚也是要離開的。
"And I was so miserable and confused I had to do something. "I do hope you'll understand. "It's peaceful here and I've thought it all out. "I know now the situation between Tony and me is impossible. "Mrs. Kirby was right. I should have stayed in my own backyard. "Don't worry about me, Mother. I'll get over it. "My darlings, I'm so lonesome for you. "I don't know how I can stand it. "Last night I cried myself to sleep, and that helped a little. "But this morning when I woke up and realized I wasn't in my own bed..." "I wish I could rush back home. But how can I, if I want to forget? "The newspapers, Tony, and a million little things make it impossible. "Forgive me, my darlings. "I promise to write every day, sometimes twice or even more. "Please, everybody, take good care of yourselves. "Don't let anything happen to you. "All my love, Alice."
“我那時又痛苦又糊塗，非做點什麼不可。 “真希望你們能理解。 “這裡很清靜，我把事情前前後後都想過了。 “我現在明白，我和托尼這樣是行不通的。 “柯比太太說得對。我本該守著自己的一畝三分地。 “別為我擔心，媽。我會走出來的。 “我親愛的家人們，我好想你們。 “我真不知道這日子該怎麼熬。 “昨晚我哭著哭著睡著了，這樣反倒好受一點。 “可今早醒來，發現自己不在自己的床上……” “我多想馬上跑回家。可要真想忘掉，我又怎麼回得去？” “報紙、托尼，還有千千萬萬件小事，都讓我回不去。” “原諒我吧，我親愛的家人們。 “我保證每天都寫，有時一天兩封，甚至更多。 “請你們每個人一定照顧好自己。 “別讓任何事落到你們頭上。 “愛你們的，愛麗絲。”
下一章 · 24crack under被壓垮這場戲：破產者的警告意思是「走出來、緩過來」，指從難過的事裡恢復。愛麗絲在信裡說 I'll get over it，就是「我會走出來的」。
one's own backyard。愛麗絲說 I should have stayed in my own backyard，就是「我本該守著自己的一畝三分地」，後悔攀了高枝。
「把事情弄得更糟」。彭妮勸托尼別再來找愛麗絲，說這樣只會 make things worse for her。
意思接近，都是「孤單」，但 lonesome 更口語、更強調想人。愛麗絲寫 I'm so lonesome for you，就是「我好想你們」。
「騰空、搬離」。通知上寫 your premises must be vacated，就是「你們必須騰空房屋」，十天內搬走。
take good care of yourself。愛麗絲在信末叮囑 take good care of yourselves，就是讓家人照顧好自己。
