flag of convenience方便旗

一个冷冰冰的比例加一个 overnight，给整套绕道方案一个致命落点。

Without ..., X percent of ... will be finished overnight.

预测某层保护一撤、某行业就撑不住；正式讨论或谈判场合适用。

lose that cover and the trade dies within days ／ remove the shield and it collapses overnight

正式

Without the 连读，重音落在 overnight，句尾往下压。

Without the subsidy, half the farms will be gone in a year. 没了补贴，一半农场一年内就会消失。

把法案写成一句推演：保护一断，生意自己停，一个字都不提奴隶。

If we pass a law ..., no one will ...

说明一项政策会怎样改变对方的选择，谈判和政策讨论时最能派上用场。

change the rule and the market reacts on its own ／ remove the incentive and the practice dies

正式

If we 连读，removing 轻带，重音在 make the journey。

If we change the fee, no courier will take the route. 改了费用，就没有快递员愿意跑这条线。

用 neither...nor 点破漏洞：国旗一换，法律身份就归了零。

Once X happens, by law it is neither A nor B.

解释某个标签一换就失去原有身份；谈规则、合同或分类的场合适用。

the moment it flies that flag, it belongs to no one ／ one flag wipes out both nationalities

正式

Once any 连读，neither 和 nor 都重读，by law 轻带而过。

Once you sign as a company, by law you are neither student nor tourist. 签字变成公司身份后，法律上你就既不是学生也不是游客。

方案讲得再漂亮，最后收在一句自嘲的 boring 上，政治戏忽然成了喜剧。

We just need someone really ...

自嘲事情成败只差一个不起眼的人；熟人之间开玩笑，正式场合别用。

we just need someone dull enough to do it ／ all we need is a very boring volunteer

口语

really 连说两遍并拖长，boring 前刻意停一下。

We just need someone really, really... patient. 我们只需要一个特别、特别的……有耐心的人。