这场戏：决定租下闹鬼别墅
第 3 章 · 共 18 章 · 4'22"
大家都说海鸥别墅闹鬼，四拨房客连夜跑光，露西偏偏要租下来。房东骂她 obstinate（固执），她回一句 I've always wanted to be considered obstinate（我一直想被人说成固执）。想学怎么用英语硬气表态、还带点幽默，这场戏够用。
「我一直想被人说成固执」：I've always wanted to be considered obstinate
medieval nonsense 中世纪的鬼话、老迷信If I may so say 恕我直言on the understanding that 以……为前提、条件是be considered 被认为、被看作
露西去看海鸥别墅，房东库姆先生一路劝退：这房子他租出去四回，四回房客头一晚就跑光；房主是他表亲格里格船长，人已去世。露西听到「闹鬼」反而说 fascinating（有意思极了），还专程回来签下房子，说自己就爱当个 obstinate（固执的、认死理的）人。她还说都二十世纪了，相信鬼魂和 medieval nonsense（中世纪的鬼话）太荒唐。想用英语不卑不亢地回嘴、给房东一个漂亮的软钉子，这几句就能直接搬。
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。
“Well, I don't want to be relied on.”
可我不想被人指望。
把一份沉甸甸的托付轻轻推开，拒绝当别人的指望。
I don't want to be relied on
被塞了本不该你担的责任时用；对上司说要当心。
I'd rather not be the one everyone counts on. ／ Don't make me the person you lean on.
中性
relied on 连读，句尾放平。
I don't want to be relied on for every decision. 我不想每个决定都得由我兜着。
“I never want to see this house again.”
我再也不想看见这栋房子了。
never 加 again，把厌恶说到不留后路。
I never want to see ... again
受够了一件事、想彻底断绝时用；说出口往往就没法回头。
I hope I never set foot here again. ／ I'm done with this place for good.
口语
never 重读，see this house again 连读。
I never want to see that office again. 那间办公室我再也不想踏进去。
“But it's too ridiculous, really, in the 20th century, to believe in apparitions and all that medieval nonsense.”
都二十世纪了，还相信什么鬼魂和那些中世纪的荒唐话，实在太可笑了。
把鬼魂归到中世纪，一句玩笑就把恐惧按了下去。
it's ridiculous to believe in ...
想把迷信或旧观念一口否掉时用；对信的人说会得罪人。
It's absurd to still believe in that. ／ Nobody in this century takes that seriously.
口语
too ridiculous 重读，apparitions 前留个停顿。
It's ridiculous to believe in lucky numbers. 还信什么幸运数字，太可笑了。
“I've always wanted to be considered obstinate.”
我一直想被人说成固执。
把别人的贬词笑着收下，反手变成自己的勋章。
I've always wanted to be considered ...
被人贴标签、想反将一军时用；语气要轻快，不然像逞强。
I'll take that as a compliment. ／ That's exactly what I was going for.
口语
always 轻读，considered obstinate 连读。
I've always wanted to be considered stubborn. 我一直想被人说成倔。
“I have nothing to show for all my years.”
我这些年，什么也拿不出手。
不喊苦，只承认没有成果，失落全在 nothing 里。
have nothing to show for ...
回顾付出却没结果时用；也能拿来劝别人别灰心。
All those years, and nothing to show for it. ／ My whole life adds up to nothing.
中性
nothing 重读，show for 连读，句尾下沉。
I have nothing to show for a decade of work. 干了十年，我什么成果也没有。
“In my opinion, you are the most obstinate young woman I have ever met.”
依我看，您是我见过最固执的年轻女子。
用最高级下判决，听着像责备，其实先认输了。
you are the most ... I have ever met
给某人下评语、或半是抱怨半是服气时用；正式场合可用。
You're the most stubborn person I know. ／ I've never met anyone quite like you.
正式
most obstinate 重读，I have ever met 快速带过。
You are the most patient person I have ever met. 你是我见过最有耐心的人。
下一章 · 04spunk胆量这场戏：与船长鬼魂争房子fascinating 意思是「有意思极了、迷人」。这里露西听到房子闹鬼，故意用这个词，语气既好奇又带点挑衅，等于说「太合我意了」，跟一般的「有趣」很不一样。
可以说 I don't want to be relied on。rely on 是「指望、依靠」，被动 be relied on 就是「被人指望」。房东转述房主来信只有一句 Rely on you.，就是「就靠你了」。
基本是贬义，指「固执的、认死理的」。戏里房东拿它当指责，但露西回答 I've always wanted to be considered obstinate，等于把骂人的话反手收下，听上去倔得挺漂亮。
If I may so say 可以译成「恕我直言」，用来说一句可能不太客气的话做缓冲。房东就是先说 If I may so say, Mrs. Muir，再甩出一句 fiddlesticks（胡说）。
用 have nothing to show for。玛莎感慨自己活了半辈子，I have nothing to show for all my years，就是「我这些年什么都没干出来」。谈工作、谈人生、谈一年过去都可以用。
