be caught dead死也不肯

用一句家常老话给骗局开脱，把算计说得像天经地义，荒唐又好笑。

You can't make an omelet without ...

为必须付出代价的事辩解时用；对受害者说会显得冷血。

You can't have progress without some damage. ／ No gain without pain.

口语

omelet 重读，without 轻快带过，eggs 收尾干脆。

You can't make an omelet without breaking an egg, so we accept some losses. 想成事总得付出代价，所以我们接受一些损失。

一句轻飘飘的话把帮派里人人自危的气氛说到骨子里。

You never know who's gonna be next.

形容处境凶险、人人自危时用；安慰病人时说会显得不祥。

Any one of us could be next. ／ You never know whose turn it is.

口语

never know 连读，who's gonna 缩成 who's-gonna。

With layoffs going around, you never know who's gonna be next. 裁员风声一起，谁也不知道下一个轮到谁。

用最狠的否认藏最怕的事，越夸张越显得心虚。

wouldn't be caught dead doing something

强烈表示绝不做某事时用；正式场合嫌夸张，别对长辈说。

I wouldn't be caught dead there. ／ You'd never catch me in that place.

口语

caught dead 重读，Chicago 尾音略拖，带夸张语气。

I wouldn't be caught dead at that club, but you go ahead. 打死我也不会去那个夜店，不过你去吧。

加码式回答把荒谬顶到顶，节奏就是笑点。

- You ... with ... on? - I ... with ... on.

跟朋友抬杠加码时能用；对长辈别用这种顶嘴节奏。

- You eat with your hat on? - I sleep with my hat on. ／ - You work with music on? - I live with music on.

口语

问句上扬，答句以同样节奏加码，spats on 重读。

- You wear socks to bed? - I shower in them too. ——你穿袜子睡觉？——我洗澡也穿。

把两个俗语搅在一起，预告灾难又荒诞。

Something tells me ... is about to hit the fan.

预感要出事时能用；对正在焦虑的人别拿来打趣。

Something tells me the pot is about to boil over. ／ I smell trouble coming.

口语

Something tells me 一带而过，omelet 重读，hit the fan 收干脆。

Something tells me the cake is about to hit the floor. 我有种预感，这蛋糕马上要扣地上。