这场戏：从一杯水聊到共党阴谋
第 9 章 · 共 20 章 · 2'16"
空军基地的办公室里，里珀面不改色地给曼德雷克讲他的理论：water is the source of all life（水是一切生命的源泉），人要靠水来补充 precious bodily fluids（宝贵的体液），而 fluoridation（饮水加氟）正是他口中的共产党阴谋。想学怎么用一本正经的语气说离奇的事，值得一听。
water is the source of all life（水是一切生命的源泉）
commie 共党分子on no account 绝不、无论如何都不source of all life 一切生命的源泉precious bodily fluids 宝贵的体液
里珀把曼德雷克叫进办公室，绕着一杯水展开他那套偏执理论：他先问对方见没见过共产党人喝水，然后自己点破 Water. That's what I'm getting at（水，我想说的就是水）。接着他说 water is the source of all life（水是一切生命的源泉），人体要靠水来 replenish our precious bodily fluids（补充宝贵的体液）。最后他抛出真正的结论：饮水加氟是 the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot（最荒诞可怕、最危险的共产党阴谋）。想表达「我想说的就是这个」「绝不」，或聊某种阴谋论，都能用上这几句。
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。
“Have you ever seen a commie drink a glass of water?”
你见过共党分子喝一杯水吗？
把荒唐前提说成常识提问，越一本正经越好笑也越可怕。
Have you ever seen ...?
用反问抛出离谱前提时用；对方没开玩笑时可别这么反问。
Have you ever known them to do that? ／ Did you ever see such a thing?
中性
Have you ever 连成一片，glass of water 轻快收尾。
Have you ever seen him arrive on time? 你见过他准时到过吗？
“Well, I can't say I have, jack.”
这个嘛，我可没见过，杰克。
不反驳也不附和，用一句含糊的退让保住面子，是英式敷衍的范本。
I can't say I have.
被问到不好接的话时用；正式汇报里别用它糊弄上级。
I wouldn't know about that. ／ That's not something I've seen.
中性
can't say I have 连读成一句，jack 轻收。
I can't say I have read that report yet. 那份报告我可还没读过。
“Water. That's what I'm getting at. Water.”
水。我想说的就是水。水。
一个词开头一个词收尾，把平日的普通物念成了咒语。
That's what I'm getting at.
对方老猜不到重点、你要把话题钉死时用；别对听不懂的人重复太多次。
That's the point I'm making. ／ That is exactly my point.
口语
Water 前后都重读，句中 getting at 连读。
Sleep. That's what I'm getting at. Sleep. 睡觉。我说的就是睡觉。睡觉。
“Mandrake, water is the source of all life.”
曼德雷克，水是一切生命的源泉。
一句再普通不过的科学常识，被他说得像军事机密，荒诞感由此而来。
X is the source of all life.
郑重其事地强调某物的根本性时用；日常说笑别太浮夸。
Everything alive depends on water. ／ Water is what all life comes from.
中性
source of all 连读，life 拖长降调。
Coffee is the source of all life in this office. 在这间办公室里，咖啡是一切生命的源泉。
“Seven-tenths of this earth's surface is water.”
地球表面十分之七都是水。
拿一句科普数据给阴谋论撑腰，严肃的数字和疯狂的结论互相成全。
Seven-tenths of X is Y.
用数据支撑观点时用；数字要准，别为唬人随口编。
About seventy percent of the surface is water. ／ Most of the planet is covered by water.
正式
Seven-tenths of 连读，surface is 轻快带过。
Seven-tenths of the complaints came from one team. 十分之七的投诉都来自同一个团队。
“Have you ever heard of a thing called fluoridation of water?”
你听说过一种叫饮水加氟的做法吗？
用一个看似专业的词把普通做法说成阴谋入口，提问本身就带钩子。
Have you ever heard of a thing called ...?
引出陌生概念、想试探对方知不知道时用；查证前别急着下结论。
Do you know what they call it? ／ Have you come across the term ...?
中性
heard of a 连读，fluoridation 重音在第二音节。
Have you ever heard of a thing called quiet hiring? 你听说过一种叫「静默招聘」的做法吗？
“Two can play at that game, soldier.”
你要玩这套，我也会，士兵。
一句习语把对峙说成博弈，短促又硬气，很适合放在翻脸的时刻。
Two can play at that game.
对方使手段、你表示奉陪时用；跟上级或客户这样说会显对抗。
If that's how it's going to be, so be it. ／ I can play the same game.
口语
can play at 连读，that game 重读收尾。
If she leaks our numbers, two can play at that game. 她要是泄露我们的数据，这招我也会。
下一章 · 10as dead as the moon死寂得像月球这场戏：末日机器停不下来字面是「宝贵的体液」。里珀相信饮水加氟会污染人体的体液、损害健康，所以只喝蒸馏水、雨水和纯谷物酒精。现在常被拿来调侃偏执的阴谋论说法。
正式又强调的说法是 on no account，常用于倒装句，比如 On no account will a commie ever drink water，意思是共党分子绝不会喝水。日常口语也可以说 under no circumstances。
get at 指「想说明、暗示」。曼德雷克说 See what you're getting at，就是我明白你想说什么的意思。
意思是「这招你使得，我也使得」，用来放话回敬对方。里珀对开枪的士兵说这句，就是表示你敢打，我也敢打。
fluoridation 指饮水加氟，在自来水里加入微量氟化物防蛀牙。里珀却把它当成共产党瓦解美国的阴谋，这也是这场戏的荒诞之处。
