cancel each other out互相抵消

用一個人主動的沉默，來寫一樁案子的停擺。它把兇手的蟄伏說成一句乾淨的陳述，越是平靜越讓人不安，適合描述暴風雨前的空白期。

He is silent for ... years.

描述某人在風波後長期不露面、沒訊息時用，語氣剋制。

Then he went quiet for years. ／ For three years, nothing came.

literary

He is silent 平讀，three years 放慢，years 收尾降調。

Then he went quiet for years. 之後他沉寂了好幾年。

For three years, nothing came. 三年裡，什麼訊息都沒有。

把全案的漏洞濃縮成一句本該找到：不是沒找，是那樣東西根本不在。它用最平靜的假設句說出最要命的質疑，適合指出邏輯上說不通的地方。

We should have found ... in that trailer.

指出某處本該有證據卻沒有、暗示結論站不住時用，語氣剋制。

One of those things should have turned up there. ／ That evidence should have been there.

中性

should have 連讀成輕快的音，found 重讀，in that trailer 放慢收尾。

One of those items should have turned up there. 那些東西里本該有一樣在那裡找到。

That proof should have been in the room. 那項證據本該在那個房間裡。

用一句輕巧的打岔拆散對方的推理：小鎮不等於人人都認識。它表面在糾正地理常識，實際在說巧合不足為憑，是給一廂情願的邏輯降溫的好說法。

It is a small town, but it is not that small.

反駁僅憑地緣或巧合就下結論時用，語氣隨意，帶點揶揄。

Small place, but not that small. ／ A small town still holds a lot of people.

口語

a small town 輕快，not that small 三個詞都重讀，small 收尾下壓。

It's a small place, but not that small. 地方是小，但也沒那麼小。

A small town still holds plenty of people. 小地方照樣住著很多人。

一句輕巧的反駁，把對方暗示的罪證拆成一件再普通不過的事。它不反問也不激動，只把常識擺回原位，適合在別人拿無關細節做文章時一筆帶過。

Using a typewriter is not a crime.

反駁對方把無關行為當罪證時用，語氣平淡，帶點不容追問。

Typing something is not illegal. ／ There is nothing criminal about that.

中性

Using a typewriter 平讀，is not a crime 放慢，crime 收尾下壓。

Owning a computer is not a crime. 擁有一臺電腦又不是犯罪。

Reading a book is not against the law. 讀書又不犯法。