这场戏：柏林重逢聊起仇家
第 6 章 · 共 30 章 · 2'30"
柏林的会面里，坎迪 on account of（为了）一封信专程赶来，亨特小姐却说自己因为是英国人丢了工作，打算回国。坎迪安慰她：Cheer up. England isn't as bad as all that（打起精神，英国也没糟到那种地步）。想学英式绅士的客气话和安慰话，这几句很典型。
「英国也没糟到那种地步」：as bad as all that
call on 登门拜访not very popular 不太受欢迎as bad as all that 糟到那种地步in a few months' time 几个月后
柏林的会面里，坎迪说自己昨天才到，亨特小姐一听才知道，他是 on account of（为了）她那封信专程赶来的。可她这边并不顺：因为是英国人，她在柏林不太受欢迎，丢了工作，只好打算回国。坎迪赶紧 Cheer up. England isn't as bad as all that（打起精神，英国也没糟到那种地步）。随后两人商量怎么找考尼茨——咖啡馆里有他常年保留的固定桌位，亨特小姐还讲起大学生社团靠喝啤酒、决斗争主张。坎迪打趣自己 feel like Stanley and Livingstone（像斯坦利和利文斯通），对方最后回他一句 you are Livingstone, I presume（我猜您就是利文斯通吧）。as bad as all that 是「糟到那种地步」；on account of 是「因为、为了」；I presume 是客气的「我想」。
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。
“Nor had I until now. I only arrived yesterday.”
我也是直到现在才知道。我昨天刚到。
用倒装把“彼此彼此”说得克制又体面，比 Neither did I 更有旧时代教养。
Nor had I until now.
别人说没想到时，用来接“我也一样”，语气克制，别在随意场合硬用倒装。
Neither did I until now. ／ Nor did I, as it happens.
正式
Nor 轻读，重音落在 had，until now 连读收尾。
Nor had I heard of the merger until now; the memo only reached me today. 我也是刚听说这桩合并，通知今天才到我手上。
“Can you possibly mean that you've come here solely on account of my letter?”
你该不会是说，你专程为了我那封信才来的吧？
possibly 加 solely 把惊讶和不敢信叠在一起，礼貌里全是心跳。
Can you possibly mean that ...?
对别人的说法又惊又不敢信时用，熟人之间可缩短，正式场合才用整句。
Do you really mean that ...? ／ You can't seriously mean that ...
正式
possibly 重读，mean that 连读，句尾语调上扬。
Can you possibly mean that you flew here just for my birthday? 你不会是说，你专程飞过来就为了给我过生日吧？
“Cheer up. England isn't as bad as all that, you know.”
振作点。英国也没你说的那么糟，你知道的。
as bad as all that 是英式安慰的经典骨架，轻轻把对方的绝望往下压。
it isn't as bad as all that
安慰把处境说得太惨的朋友时用，语气要轻，别用来否定别人的真实痛苦。
it's not as bad as all that ／ things aren't as bad as they seem
中性
Cheer up 干脆，as bad as 连读，you know 轻收。
Come on, the exam isn't as bad as all that; you can still retake it. 别这样，考试没那么可怕，你还能补考。
“It's a proud father that has a scarred son, and vice versa.”
有个脸上带疤的儿子，当爹的才骄傲；反过来也一样。
用强调句把德式尚武风气一句点破，and vice versa 更添冷幽默。
It's a ... that ...
想强调某类人才符合某个特点时用，带调侃口吻，正式报告里不要用。
It's the quiet ones that surprise you. ／ It's the second try that counts.
literary
重音落在 proud 和 scarred，vice versa 两个词都咬清。
It's the cheapest seats that sell out first, and vice versa for the front rows. 最先卖光的偏是最便宜的座位，前排反倒剩着。
“I should obviously be absolutely lost without you.”
没有你，我显然会彻底抓瞎。
obviously 和 absolutely 连用把客套夸到滑稽，正好显出坎迪的笨拙殷勤。
I should be absolutely lost without you.
对帮了大忙的人半开玩笑地道谢时用，认真求助时显得轻浮，要慎用。
I'd be completely lost without you. ／ I don't know what I'd do without you.
中性
obviously 和 absolutely 都重读，lost without you 连读。
I'd be absolutely lost without you on this report; thanks for staying late. 这份报告没你我真的抓瞎，谢谢你留下来加班。
下一章 · 07carry coals to Newcastle多此一举这场戏：咖啡馆里为政治争辩意思是「糟到那种地步」，常用于否认事情有那么坏。原句 England isn't as bad as all that，就是「英国也没那么糟」，拿来安慰人正好。
说 call on someone，比较正式、有礼貌。原句 I was about to call on you，就是「我正打算去拜访您」，不是打电话。
意思是「因为、为了」，比 because of 更书面。原句 solely on account of my letter，就是「专程为了我那封信」，solely 加重了语气。
是客气、略带正式的「我想、大概吧」，比 I think 更端一点。原句 you are Livingstone, I presume，借的是那句著名问候语。
字面是「没你就迷失了」，指「没你完全不行」，可用在依赖别人帮忙的场合。原句 I should obviously be absolutely lost without you，语气夸张又客气。
