a sure sign明确的征兆

把『犯规是绝望的信号』一句说透，兵事和牌局都通用。

Nobody starts to ... till he sees he can't ...

点评别人使坏、比赛动作脏时可用；对当事人当面指责时少用。

people only cheat when they're losing ／ dirty play is the last resort of the desperate

中性

重音在 foul 和 can't，till 轻读带过。

Nobody starts to bend the rules till he sees he can't win straight. 没人一开始就钻规则空子，除非发现正面赢不了。

前半句还在引用体面话，后半句一个 her legs 把军威拉进荤笑话，反差极狠。

I admit he said nothing about ...

熟人玩笑里接一句反差吐槽时能用；正式场合或有生人在场别说。

he was quiet about that part ／ notice what he left out

口语

I admit 平稳，her legs 稍重，句尾上扬。

He promised us a short meeting. I admit he said nothing about the follow-up. 他保证会开得短，我承认他没提会后那堆事。

用捕鱼的画面讲抓俘虏，把军事行动说得像家常打渔，轻描淡写反而更狂。

I had ... across, and netted them like ...

轻松得手后跟朋友吹牛时用；对上级汇报别用这种口气。

picked them up like fish in a net ／ scooped them all up

口语

had a boom across 连读，like salmon 收尾放低。

I had a filter ready, and netted the spam like fish. 我提前设了过滤，把这些垃圾邮件像捞鱼一样收了。

两句话对仗，把战场认路说成昼夜两副面孔，冷静里藏着对战争的熟稔与疲惫。

I know it at night. In the daytime it looks different.

聊熟悉的东西换个环境就变样时用；对上级严肃汇报别用这种感慨口气。

I know this street after dark; by day it feels foreign. ／ Night and day, it's two different places.

中性

at night 连读，daytime 重音在前，different 降调。

I know the market at dawn; by noon it belongs to tourists. 我认得清晨的市场，一到中午它就成游客的了。

一句平铺直叙把酷刑的存在说成常识，不加形容词反而更冷。

X knows how to make someone do ...

说某方手段狠、逼人开口时能用；日常别拿来形容朋友，会让人不适。

They have ways of making people talk. ／ They know exactly how to break someone.

中性

Germans 重读，know how to 连读，make them talk 放慢。

Those negotiators know how to make a team move. 那些谈判代表很懂怎么逼一个团队让步。

临上战场前最实在的温柔，用一封家书把生死未卜压住，不煽情却扎心。

If any of you have ..., I'll take them.

出发前帮别人带话带东西时用；正式公文或命令里不用这种口语。

If anyone has a message for home, I'll carry it. ／ Give me your letters; I'll see they arrive.

中性

any of you 连读，home 稍顿，I'll take them 收低。

If any of you have gifts for your families, I'll carry them. 你们谁有给家里的礼物，我帮着带。