这场戏：送金属礼物被嫌自私
第 3 章 · 共 16 章 · 2'58"
亨利深夜回家，妻子莉莲和菲利普正等着。他掏出用里尔登金属第一炉做的礼物，有人冷冷地说这链子就是 holds us all in bondage（把我们都束缚住）的锁链；有人更直接，嫌这份心意是 pure selfishness（纯粹自私）。想听懂家人夹枪带棒的讽刺，这段台词句句能抄。
礼物被说成「锁链」：in bondage 就是「受奴役」
toast of the town 全城追捧的红人it's the intention 关键是心意in bondage 受奴役、被束缚would have given 本来会送（却没送）
要钱还不想署名：wire money to an account 是「电汇到账户」
a hundred grand 十万（美元）wired to my account 电汇到我的账户the thing is 事情是这样的、麻烦的是name on a check 支票上的署名
亨利忙到深夜才回家，莉莲、菲利普和保罗已经在客厅等他。他把里尔登金属第一炉浇铸做成一件小礼物送给莉莲，换来的却不是感谢：有人嫌他自私，说这链子倒像 holds us all in bondage（把全家束缚住）的锁链。更讽刺的是菲利普随后开口，要亨利给全球意识之友捐钱；亨利一句 No, Phillip, I don't, but it will make you happy（我是不在乎，但这能让你高兴）就批了十万，钱还要 wire money to an account（电汇到账户），因为把他的名字写进捐款人名单会让他们难堪。想学家庭饭桌上的冷嘲、翻脸和谈钱，这段全是现成说法。
A1–C2 是欧标等级。点一个等级后，比它高的卡片会变淡，播放到那里不会自动暂停。
“That's the trouble with you. You work too hard.”
你的毛病就在这儿。你干活太拼了。
关心和埋怨挤在同一句里，是熟人之间最典型的责备式疼爱。
That's the trouble with you. You ...
对亲近的人半嗔半怪地指出毛病时用；对不熟的人说会显得越界。
That's your problem, you never stop. ／ You always push yourself too hard.
口语
trouble 重读，work too hard 一句压着气收尾。
That's the trouble with you. You never take a break. 你的毛病就在这儿，你从来不肯歇一歇。
“...used to build railroads and bridges and sewer pipes and oil tanks and-- You are so selfish, Henry.”
……用来造铁路、桥梁、下水管道和油罐——你太自私了，亨利。
先堆一串用途再急转直下骂人，落差本身就是一句狠话。
You are so selfish.
当面指责亲近的人只顾自己时用；对同事或长辈这样说会撕破脸。
You are so self-centred. ／ All you ever think about is yourself.
口语
清单部分快而平，You are so selfish 一字一顿。
You are so selfish to keep that news to yourself. 你把那消息瞒着大家，也太自私了。
“Oh. Phillip, it is not the gift, it's the intention.”
哦，菲利普，重要的不是礼物，是心意。
一句老话被拿来给寒酸的礼物圆场，越体面越显心虚。
It is not the ... , it's the ...
替一份不合适的礼物或安排打圆场时用；真想道歉时别只拿它当挡箭牌。
It's the thought that counts. ／ Don't look at the gift, look at the heart.
中性
not the gift 与 it's the intention 两个重音对称。
It is not the price, it's the intention that counts. 重要的不是价钱，是那份心意。
“I think it's the chain by which he holds us all in bondage”
我看这正是他用来把我们所有人拴住的锁链
把一件首饰说成锁链，一句比喻就把婚姻里的怨气全抖了出来。
the chain by which someone holds us in bondage
用比喻控诉受人摆布时用，语气重，适合文学或激烈对话。
the chain that keeps us all tied down ／ the rope he uses to hold us
literary
chain 和 bondage 两处重读，in bondage 压低收束。
This contract is the chain by which they hold us in bondage. 这份合同就是他们拴住我们的锁链。
“No, Phillip, I don't, but it will make you happy.”
不，菲利普，我是不在乎，但这能让你高兴。
先痛快承认自己不在乎，再说明给钱只为让弟弟开心，坦荡得近乎刻薄。
No, I don't, but it will make you happy.
明知对方动机不纯、仍愿意成全时用；说出口就等于点破对方。
I don't care for it, but you do. ／ It is not my cause, but it is yours.
中性
I don't 干脆利落，make you happy 轻快收尾。
I don't like the plan, but it will make you happy. 我不喜欢这计划，但它能让你高兴。
“No, it would embarrass us to have you on the list of our contributors.”
不，把你列进我们的捐款人名单会让我们难堪。
一边伸手要钱，一边嫌弃出钱人的名字，虚伪被一句话钉死。
It would embarrass us to ...
婉拒或遮掩见不得光的关系时用；这句说出口，往往就把真实动机卖了。
It would look bad to have you involved. ／ Your name would be a problem for us.
正式
embarrass 重读，on the list of 连读带过。
It would embarrass us to have your name in the report. 把你的名字写进报告里会让我们难堪。
下一章 · 04grease the palms给钱打点这场戏：密谋从内部扳倒里尔登意思是「关键是心意」。有人嫌礼物寒酸，旁人打圆场说 it is not the gift, it's the intention，就是「重要的不是礼物，是心意」，用在送礼、道歉时都合适。
toast of the town。toast 原指举杯敬酒的对象，引申为被大家追捧、风光无限的人。台词里说戴上同款金属就 be the toast of the town，带点自嘲和讽刺。
wire money to an account。wire 作动词是「电汇」，比 send 更具体。台词里问 Can have the money wired to my account，就是想把钱直接汇进自己账户。
口语里 grand 指「一千美元」，a hundred grand 就是十万。台词里说要 authorize a hundred grand，就是批十万。这个词在美式口语里很常见。
意思是「跟……挂得上钩、相关」。台词里说他对任何 doesn't tie in to his work 的事都没兴趣，就是跟工作无关的事他一概不理，常用来谈兴趣、话题和工作的关联。
bondage。台词里说这条链子是 he holds us all in bondage，字面是「他把我们全绑起来」，引申为受奴役、被束缚，语气很重，常用来讽刺控制关系。
