这场戏：卖信要现金，求预支被拒
第 2 章 · 共 14 章 · 3'10"
李急着把一封范妮·布赖斯的信卖出去，问对方能不能 pay in cash（用现金支付），转头又跑到经纪公司求预支。经纪人一句 He plays the game（他懂按圈里的规矩来），点破作家也得会推销自己。跟人谈钱、开口要现金时，这两句都用得上。
❝ 独白 · 10 句 求预支那句「房租拖欠好几个月」：months behind in my rent
a book advance 书稿预付金months behind in my rent 房租拖欠好几个月plays the game 按圈里的规矩来destroyed every bridge 把关系全毁了
李正在写范妮·布赖斯的传记，手头紧，就拿一封范妮的信去卖。对方只肯出七十五美元，还说 I could give more for better content（内容更好我可以多给点），只是嫌这封信 a bit bland（有点乏味）。李试探着问能不能 pay in cash（用现金支付）。随后她冲到经纪公司，张口就是 I need you to get ten thousand dollars（我需要你拿到一万美元），理由是 I'm months behind in my rent（我房租拖欠好几个月）。经纪人一口回绝，还搬出汤姆·克兰西来对比，说 He plays the game（他懂按圈里的规矩来），而李却把关系全毁了。谈钱、砍价、求人帮忙，这段全用得上。
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。
“I could give more for better content.”
如果内容更好，我可以多给点。
把压价说得很专业：条件摆出来，价钱就跟着条件走。
I could give more for better ...
买卖时想压价又不想撕破脸时用；对朋友这样说会显得太算计。
I'd pay more for a cleaner copy. ／ Better condition means a better offer.
中性
could give 连读，more for 轻读，重音落在 better。
I could give more for a signed edition. 要是有签名版，我可以多出点。
“No self-respecting writer would drink sherry.”
没有哪个自重的作家会喝雪利酒。
临时编出一条体面的规矩，一句就把对方的做派钉成不入流。
No self-respecting + 人 + would ...
想讽刺某人做法掉价时用；真要拿去评价别人职业就太得罪人。
No serious writer would do that. ／ No self-respecting chef would use that.
口语
self-respecting 一气连读，would 弱读，句尾下沉。
No self-respecting fan would leave at halftime. 没有哪个真球迷会在中场就走。
“I'm months behind in my rent, and my cat is sick.”
我房租拖欠好几个月了，猫也病了。
把窘境说得这么具体，连猫都算上，狼狈里带着黑色幽默。
be months behind in + 名词
解释自己为什么手头紧、急着要钱时用；别拿它当长期借口。
I'm three months behind on the mortgage. ／ I'm weeks behind in my work.
中性
months behind in 连读，and my cat 轻快带过。
I'm months behind in my reading, and finals are close. 我书落下好几个月了，期末又近了。
“Oh, to be a white male that doesn't even know he's full of crap, right?”
哦，做个白人男性多好，连自己满嘴胡说都浑然不觉，对吧？
用一句羡慕反讽特权，笑着把不平说透。
to be + 人 + that + 从句
吐槽特权和不公时能用；对不熟的人或正式场合要收着说。
Oh, to be a man who never doubts himself, right? ／ Must be nice to fail upward like that.
口语
to be 连读，white male 重读，句尾 right 上扬求共鸣。
Oh, to be someone who never has to check the price, right? 哦，做个从不用看价格的人多好，对吧？
“Yeah, God forbid you have to hear an adult conversation, Toni!”
是啊，可别让你听到成年人说话，东妮！
用反话来挖苦，把不满包在客气话里，杀伤力更强。
God forbid + 从句
反讽别人小题大做时能用；对长辈或严肃场合不要用这种刺话。
God forbid you lift a finger around here. ／ Heaven forbid anyone inconvenience you.
口语
God forbid 重读，adult conversation 咬清楚，句尾喊名字加力道。
God forbid you answer a phone once in a while. 可别指望你偶尔接一次电话。
I'll give you three reasons. Number one, Tom Clancy is famous. Here we go! Yes, you have written a couple of successful biographies and you've managed to disappear behind your subject matter, but because of that, nobody knows who you are! Because I'm doing my job. Number two, Tom Clancy does every radio show. He does Larry King. He goes to every book signing. He plays the game. Meanwhile, you have destroyed every bridge I have built for you.
我给你三个理由。 第一，汤姆·克兰西很有名。 这就来了！ 对，你写过几本成功的传记，而且你成功地把自己藏在了题材背后， 可正因为这样，没人知道你是谁！ 因为我在尽我的本分。 第二，汤姆·克兰西上遍所有电台节目。 他上《拉里·金现场》。每场签售会都去。 他懂得玩这个游戏。 可你呢，把我替你搭的每一座桥都毁了。
下一章 · 03Spill the beans把秘密说出来这场戏：酒吧里被追问秘密字面是「玩这个游戏」，这里指按行业里的潜规则来，会做人、会推销自己。经纪人用它说明汤姆·克兰西为什么拿得到大钱。
说 full of crap，比如台词里那句 a white male that doesn't even know he's full of crap，形容一个人一本正经地胡说。
说 a book advance，advance 是提前支付的报酬。台词里她求经纪人 get me a book advance，就是让经纪人去谈这笔预付款。
不是。这句常用来表示「又来了」，带着无奈或反讽。经纪人刚说完汤姆·克兰西有名，马上有人接一句 Here we go!，意思是又听到这套说辞了。
pay in cash 是付现金，pay by card 是刷卡。台词里她特意问能不能 pay in cash（用现金支付），多半是不想留下记录。
