这场戏：律师出示笔迹信
第 7 章 · 共 15 章 · 3'21"
霍华德来探视莱斯利，闲聊之后开始追问她和哈蒙德的关系。她一再否认写过信，直到对方把信递过来，她才说 But that's not my handwriting（那不是我的笔迹）。他还注意到，她对案发经过的说法 a hairsbreadth（一丝一毫）都没变过。想学怎么用英语平静地对质和否认，这段最值得听。
她一字不差：never varied a hairsbreadth（一丝一毫）
looking forward to 期待、盼望a hairsbreadth 一丝一毫、极细微unvarnished truth 不加修饰的实话
「那不是我的笔迹」：that's not my handwriting
by chance 碰巧、偶然having anything to do with 和某人有任何牵扯that's not my handwriting 那不是我的笔迹
莱斯利被关押着等待审判，律师霍华德来看她。两人先聊近况，她担心丈夫罗伯特 take it hard（难以接受），也承认自己并不 look forward to（期待）出庭作证。霍华德随后追问她和哈蒙德的关系，指出她每次复述案发经过都一字不差，连 a hairsbreadth（一丝一毫）都没变；最后他拿出一封据称她写给哈蒙德的信，她脱口而出 That's not my handwriting（那不是我的笔迹）。正式场合的询问与否认都能用上这三个表达，值得反复听。
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。
“Oh, fine, thanks. It's a different place since Mrs. Crosbie's been here.”
哦，挺好的，谢谢。自从克罗丝比太太来了这儿，这里都变了样。
把夸奖和分寸一起说完，既不冷落主人，也没多交心。
It's a different place since ...
夸某个地方因谁而变时用；日常客气话，对熟人说也很好。
It feels like a different house since she came. ／ The whole place has changed since you arrived.
中性
different place 重读，since 轻带过去。
It's a different office since you joined. 自从你来了，办公室都不一样了。
“Oh, how lovely. I do miss my garden.”
哦，真好看。我真想念我的花园。
一句家常话把牢房里的她拉回从前，越平淡越叫人心里发沉。
I do miss ...
真心想念某样东西时用；do 表强调，正式书面里少见。
I really miss my garden. ／ I do long for my garden.
中性
do miss 里 do 重读，garden 放慢。
I do miss the old neighbourhood. 我真的很想念从前那个街区。
“He's much more anxious about you than you seem to be about yourself.”
他比你本人还要担心你。
一句比较把人心的轻重摆平了，也替罗伯特说了话。
more ... than you seem to be
指出两人态度不对等时用；对当事人说带点提醒的味道。
He is more worried than you are. ／ He cares more than you let on.
中性
more anxious 重读，than 轻滑过去。
Your parents are more anxious about this than you seem to be. 你父母比你本人还紧张这件事。
“One of the things that's impressed me is that every time you've told your story, you've told it in exactly the same words.”
让我印象很深的一点是，你每次讲自己的经历，用的都是完全一样的话。
不指认说谎，只说一字不差，把怀疑裹进了礼貌里。
One of the things that's impressed me is that ...
委婉指出异常时用；正式谈话里比直接质疑更体面。
What struck me is that you always say it the same way. ／ I notice your story never changes.
正式
that's impressed me 快读，same words 一顿一收。
One of the things that's impressed me is that you never repeat an excuse. 让我印象很深的是，你从不重复同一个借口。
“Well, we didn't have anything much in common.”
我们没什么共同话题。
一句看似平淡的实话，底下藏着后来不再来往的真正理由。
have nothing much in common
解释关系变淡时用；日常很自然，正式场合也可用。
We didn't have much to talk about. ／ We had little in common.
口语
anything much 连读，in common 轻收。
We were old friends, but we didn't have anything much in common anymore. 我们是老朋友，可已经没什么共同点了。
“Horrible. She was all covered with gold chains and bracelets and spangles, her face like a mask.”
太可怕了。她满身金链子、手镯和亮片，脸像戴了张面具。
短促的四样首饰和一个比喻，把厌恶和嫉妒同时说尽。
covered with ... , her face like a mask
形容打扮艳俗到刺眼时用；带明显贬义，当面说会伤人。
She was loaded with jewellery, her face painted like a mask. ／ All gold and spangles, and a face like a mask.
口语
chains and bracelets 连读，like a mask 压低收尾。
She arrived covered with sequins, her face like a mask. 她来的时候满身亮片，脸像一张面具。
“But that's not my handwriting.”
可那不是我的笔迹。
面对铁证只否认这一样东西，越简短越显得心里有数。
That's not my ...
当面否认某样东西时用；日常很常用，语气可直接可平静。
That isn't my writing. ／ That handwriting isn't mine.
中性
that's not 连读，handwriting 重音在前。
That's not my signature on the form. 表格上那不是我的签名。
下一章 · 08talk very plainly把话挑明了说这场戏：被追问那封信的来历指极小的差距，常见搭配是 not vary a hairsbreadth，也就是「一丝一毫都没变」。霍华德用它说莱斯利的证词每次一字不差，语气比 a bit 更强调分毫不差。
可以说 take it hard，加 terribly 就是 take it terribly hard，指很难接受某件坏事。戏里莱斯利说丈夫 He's taking it terribly hard，是心疼他受不了。
varnish 是给家具上漆，unvarnished 就是「没上漆、没修饰的」，unvarnished truth 指「不加修饰的实话、原原本本的实话」，常用来形容说话直白老实。
指「和某人某事有任何牵扯、往来」。戏里霍华德问莱斯利，是不是知道哈蒙德的妻子以后，就不再和他有任何来往了。
常用 by chance，表示纯属偶然。莱斯利说她 quite by chance（纯属偶然）见到过哈蒙德的妻子，比 happen to 更强调巧合、没有安排。
