这场戏：被追问那封信的来历
第 8 章 · 共 15 章 · 2'20"
霍华德拿着那封信当面质问莱斯利。她先发誓说 I didn't write it（不是我写的），撑不住才承认，又辩称那只是 planning a surprise（准备一个惊喜）——想给罗伯特的生日订把新枪。霍华德说 I shall have to talk very plainly to you（我得跟你把话挑明了说）。被追问到说不出话时，这几句特别好用。
改口就完了，只能「坚持不改口」：stick to it
afraid to 不敢做某事stick to it 坚持不改口、不放弃planning a surprise 准备一个惊喜
最后一句「把话挑明了说」：talk very plainly
I absolutely must see you 我非见你不可I won't answer for the consequences 后果我可不敢保证talk very plainly 把话挑明了说
霍华德带着那封信来质问莱斯利。她先一口咬定 I didn't write it（不是我写的），说如果笔迹对得上，那就是 forgery（伪造品）；可霍华德提醒她，控方可以 cross-examine（盘问）家里的男仆，查清哈蒙德死的那天有没有人送信。她终于承认信是自己写的，却解释说是在 planning a surprise（准备惊喜）——为罗伯特的生日订一把新枪。霍华德没被说服，又念出信里那句 I'm desperate（我快撑不住了），最后说 I shall have to talk very plainly to you（我得跟你把话挑明了说）。否认、盘问、准备惊喜、把话挑明，戏里把这几个说法全用上了。
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 didn't write it. I swear I didn't write it.”
我没写。我发誓，我没写。
一句否认连说两遍还加上发誓，越用力越显得心虚。
I didn't ... I swear I didn't ...
被人冤枉、急着自证时用；对朋友可信，对警察或上司反而显得慌。
I never did it, I swear. ／ I'm telling you, I didn't do it.
口语
didn't write 连读吞音，I swear 放慢加重。
I didn't take it. I swear I didn't take it. 我没拿。我发誓，我没拿。
“Then it'll be a forgery.”
那就是伪造的。
五个字把责任推得干干净净，冷静得近乎挑衅。
Then it'll be a forgery.
被质疑时把矛头转开时用；强硬又简短，对长辈说会显顶撞。
Then someone forged it. ／ So it's a fake.
中性
it'll be 连读，forgery 重音在前。
Then it'll be a forgery, because I never signed it. 那它就是伪造的，因为我从没签过。
“It's not dated. It might have been written years ago.”
信上没写日期。也许是很多年前写的。
一句就拆掉日期这条证据链，辩护人惯用的空档。
It's not dated. It might have been written years ago.
指出证据有空子时用；语气克制，谈判和辩解里都常见。
There is no date on it. ／ It could be years old.
中性
might have been written 弱读快连，years ago 收尾。
It's not dated, so it could have been written any time. 上面没日期，什么时候写的都说得通。
“I did write that letter, but I was afraid to mention it.”
那封信确实是我写的，可我不敢提。
从全盘否认到承认，中间只隔一句证词，转折全在这半句里。
I did ..., but I was afraid to ...
承认自己做过却一直瞒着时用；对信任的人坦白很自然。
I did write it, but I was too scared to say so. ／ Yes, I wrote it; I just could not admit it.
中性
did write 重读强调，afraid to 轻连。
I did borrow it, but I was afraid to tell you. 我确实借了，可我不敢告诉你。
“I was forced to stick to it.”
就只能硬撑下去。
把谎言说成「被迫」，责任又轻了一层，是很典型的自辩。
I was forced to stick to it.
解释自己为什么一直不改口时用；带辩解意味，慎用于正式认错。
I had to keep to my story. ／ I couldn't take it back after that.
中性
forced to 连读，stick to it 三词一顿一收。
Once I had said it, I was forced to stick to it. 话一出口，我就只能硬撑下去。
“Then you'll be called upon to explain why you asked him to come to see you when Robert was away.”
那你就得解释，为什么趁罗伯特不在时叫他来见你。
律师只摆事实不下判断，却把最难的难题原样推回给她。
Then you'll be called upon to explain why ...
指出对方接下来必须交代的事时用；正式、克制，适合谈判和公文。
Then you will have to explain why ... ／ You'll need to account for that.
正式
called upon 连读，explain why 上扬引出下文。
Then you'll be called upon to explain why the deadline was missed. 那你就得解释为什么没赶上截止日期。
“Leslie, I shall have to talk very plainly to you.”
莱斯利，我得跟你把话挑明了说。
一句预告，既是提醒也是最后通牒，把整场谈话的重量压了下来。
I shall have to talk very plainly to you.
正式谈话前先立规矩时用；对熟人显得郑重，别拿来说闲话。
I'm going to speak plainly now. ／ Let me be blunt with you.
正式
shall have to 连读，plainly 重读收句。
I shall have to talk plainly to you about the money. 关于钱的事，我得跟你把话说清楚。
下一章 · 09save your neck保命脱险这场戏：求律师买下那封信「伪造品、赝品」。莱斯利说 If the original is in your handwriting... then it'll be a forgery，意思是如果笔迹对得上，那封信就只能是伪造的。
I swear。莱斯利连说 I didn't write it. I swear I didn't write it.，用 swear 起誓，语气比一般保证重得多。
是「坚持不改口」。莱斯利说自己一旦声称和哈蒙德没来往，I was forced to stick to it，就只能咬牙把这个说法撑下去。
talk very plainly。霍华德最后说 I shall have to talk very plainly to you，就是「我得跟你把话挑明了说」，接下来要说的多半不中听。
cross-examine，多指法庭上对证人的盘问。霍华德警告莱斯利，控方可以 cross-examine 男仆，就是能当庭盘问他们、查清送信的细节。
意思是「准备一个惊喜」。莱斯利说自己 planning a surprise for Robert's birthday，就是给罗伯特的生日准备惊喜，后面常接 for sb 说明给谁准备。
