same old, same old老样子

把家乡小城说成宇宙中心，夸张里全是老球迷的骄傲与怀念。

During the + 时期, we were at the centre of ...

回忆某个鼎盛时期时用；正经介绍事实别用。

Back then we were the centre of the universe. ／ In those years our town was the whole world.

中性

the centre of 连读，footballing 重音在前。

During the boom years, our little port was the centre of the shipping world. 那段繁荣年月，我们这个小港口就是航运世界的中心。

把失业说成「摆脱暴政」，一本正经的反讽，越沉痛越好笑。

one of the advantages of being free from ...

自嘲没工作、没约束时用；正式解释处境别用。

That's the joy of not having a proper job. ／ One perk of unemployment: nobody owns your mornings.

口语

tyranny 重读，regular employment 放平收尾。

One advantage of being free from the tyranny of a nine-to-five: I nap when I like. 摆脱朝九晚五暴政的一个好处：我想睡就睡。

用假设句把话题顶到对方身上，既是关心，也是轻轻的逼问。

What would you do with your time if you ...?

问人打算、半开玩笑时用；对方敏感时少用。

What would you do with yourself if you stopped? ／ How would you fill the days if you quit?

中性

would you 轻读，if you retired 稍慢。

What would you do with your time if you sold the shop tomorrow? 要是明天就把店盘出去，你时间打算怎么用？

一句反问加一句爆发，把多年付出后的寒心甩得干脆。

What thanks do you get? I'm sick of it!

跟熟人吐槽工作不被感激时用，很解气；对同事或上级别这么直白。

What do you get for it? Nothing. ／ I've had enough of this.

口语

thanks 重读，sick of it 加重收尾。

You give up every weekend, and what thanks do you get? I'm sick of it! 你每个周末都搭进去，换来什么感谢？我受够了！