in a pickle陷入困境

先否掉鬼，再把自己说得更可怕，最后一句反问把对方逼到墙角。

I'm not ... , I'm something worse.

要压住对方气势时可用这种先抑后扬的说法；对朋友玩笑着说还行，对陌生人不合适。

I'm not the danger here, I'm something worse. ／ This is not bad, it is worse.

中性

not a 连读，something worse 略停，don't you 尾音上扬。

This is not a small delay; it is something worse. 这不是小延误，是更糟的事。

把藏匿说成受邀做客，一句歪理把主动权攥在自己手里。

so I suppose that makes me ...

用一句推论把某件事重新定义时用；谈判、争辩都常见，语气要稳。

so I guess that makes me the owner ／ that would make me the one in charge

中性

so I suppose 弱读，that makes me 轻快连读。

I pay the rent, so I suppose that makes me the one who decides. 房租是我付的，那按理就由我说了算。

用'行善'的句式讲最狠的威胁，荒诞的礼貌让人发抖。

do someone a favor and + 动词

半开玩笑地威胁或放狠话时用；真拿来对陌生人说就是恐吓。

do me a favor and be quiet ／ do everyone a favor and stop

口语

a great, big 三个词一顿一顿，head off 连读收尾。

Do us all a favor and turn that alarm off. 行行好，把那个闹钟关了吧。

拿传奇运动员形容被追捕的女孩，玩笑和偏见一起炸开。

Like a + 形容词 + 名词

用夸张比喻形容某人动作或样子时用；拿身份开玩笑容易冒犯人。

like a young Olympic runner ／ like a champion in disguise

口语

little, female 都轻读，Jesse Owens 两词重读。

She sprinted past everyone like a young track star. 她像年轻的田径明星一样冲过了所有人。

用吃的腌黄瓜形容进退两难，紧张戏一下子被说成小麻烦。

be in a pickle

说某人陷入麻烦、两头为难时用；口语俏皮，正式场合换成 in trouble。

We are in real trouble now. ／ He is in a tight spot.

口语

in a 连读成 in-a，pickle 的 k 音要清楚。

I left my wallet at home, so I am in a pickle. 钱包落家里了，我这下麻烦了。

把人的狠劲推给'法术'，孩子的世界观和恐惧一起露出来。

must've + 过去分词

对已经发生的事做很肯定的推测时用；比 must have 口语，写正式文用完整形式。

She must have planned this. ／ He must've known all along.

口语

must've 读成 mus-tuv，used 的 d 与 her 相接。

The lights went out, so someone must've hit the switch. 灯灭了，肯定有人拉了闸。