Zodiac · 2007 — 第 24 / 30 章 · 5'06" · B2

追查杀手生日的线索:more than just a coincidence

一个记者盯着旧案死磕:有人给受害者全家打恶作剧电话,他断定 It's got to be more than just a coincidence(这绝不可能只是巧合)——凶手八成认识达琳。可当他去求证,对方却泼冷水 He's a liar(他是个骗子),还劝他 You're looking in the wrong place.(你找错方向了。)。想学推理、质疑、给建议时的英语,这段很典型。

发生了什么

记者盯着达琳的案子死磕:既然有人给受害者全家打恶作剧电话,那 It's got to be more than just a coincidence(这绝不可能只是巧合)。他顺着线索找到贝利先生的秘书,意外问出关键一句——凶手当年打电话说 I have to kill. Today is my birthday.(我必须杀人。今天是我的生日。)。可他向警方求证时,对方一口否定 He's a liar(他是个骗子),还丢下一句 You're looking in the wrong place.(你找错方向了。),让他 Stick to the evidence(盯紧证据)。想学推理、追问、被泼冷水时怎么用英语,这段很全。

法律与调查 · 查案推理生活 · 打电话解释建议陌生人B2中速美音
IMDb ↗

这场戏看什么

  • 看不像巧合里谁先把话说死
  • 留意玩笑后面有没有认真的一句

留意这几个短语

more than just a coincidenceoff the recordfollow throughWhat if

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本章短语

more than just a coincidence

不只是巧合、绝非偶然too connected to be accidental

格雷史密斯把两件事拼在一起,认定凶手必然早就认识达琳,用这句话向对方确认自己的推断。

They both left at the same minute; that's more than just a coincidence.两人在同一分钟离开,这可绝不只是巧合。

本章还有

  • off the record

    私下说、不作记录

  • follow through

    把事情跟到底、说到做到

  • What if

    万一……呢、要是……会怎样

本章全部批注

100 句台词里标了 35 处

俚语 · C1God damn it

该死的(咒骂、发泄)——这是把亵渎神名和脏话叠在一起的骂人话,语气比单独的 damn 更重,用来发泄强烈的恼火。属于脏话,只适合熟人私下或自言自语;职场、有长辈和小孩在场时都不能说,正式表达要完全避开。

God damn it.
短语 · B2more than just a coincidence

不只是巧合、绝非偶然

格雷史密斯把两件事拼在一起,认定凶手必然早就认识达琳,用这句话向对方确认自己的推断。

It's got to be more than just a coincidence, right?
语法 · B2It's got to be more than just a coincidence

have got to 表强烈推断:have got to 是口语里很常见的推断说法,意思是「必然是、只能是」,语气比单纯的猜测更肯定。这里把两件事串起来,认定背后一定有联系,句尾再追问一句,逼对方表态。

It's got to be more than just a coincidence, right?
短语 · B2prank call someone

恶作剧电话

I mean, somebody doesn't just randomly prank phone call a victim's entire family
短语 · B1on purpose

故意地、有意为之

Or Darlene was shot on purpose.
短语 · B2had to have done something

必然早就知道

Eitherway, Zodiac had to have known Darlene.
语法 · C1had to have known Darlene

过去推断加完成式:用表示过去的必然结构再接完成式,表示对已经发生的事下的强硬推断:他当时一定已经认识她。完成式说明这个「认识」发生在更早之前,语气笃定,几乎不留反駁余地。

Eitherway, Zodiac had to have known Darlene.
短语 · A2can't find someone

找不到某人

So, I can't find Mageau, so maybe I can find Darlene's sister.
短语 · A2try that

试试那个办法

Try that. I've got to go. She's very cute.
短语 · C1privileged information

受保密的信息

I can't tell you. That's privileged information.
短语 · B1should be along soon

应该马上就来了

-He should be along soon. -Oh, that's all right.
短语 · B1be here on business

来办事、因公

-You are here on business? -I'm writing a book about the Zodiac.
短语 · B1have to do something

不得不杀人

He said he had to kill because it was his birthday.
短语 · A2so many years ago

好多年前

-When was this? -Oh, so many years ago.
短语 · B1hang up

把电话挂断

And then he hangs up.
发音hangs up

hangs up 连读时 hangs 末尾的辅音直接接上 up,听起来像连成的一个词,中间没有停顿。

And then he hangs up.
短语 · B1have to confirm something

必须去核实

Well, you'd have to confirm that, now wouldn't you?
语法 · B2you'd have to confirm that, now wouldn't you

反意问句逼确认:先用带情态的陈述句说出对方不得不做的事,再补一个反意问句把球踢回去。说话人并非真想知道答案,而是借这一问暗示:你想查下去,就得自己承担核实的责任。

Well, you'd have to confirm that, now wouldn't you?
短语 · B1get a hold of someone

联系上某人

-How do I get a hold of him? -You don't. Bill wanted out of this.
发音get a hold of

a 常弱化为 /ə/,of 也收成轻 /əv/,重音落在 get 和 hold 上,中间两个虚词别加力。

-How do I get a hold of him? -You don't. Bill wanted out of this.
短语 · B1stay out of something

置身事外、不掺和

As far as I'm concerned, he should stay out.
短语 · B2standard procedure

标准流程、例行程序

That's standard procedure.
短语 · B1take place

发生

Okay, I'll play. Let's say this phone call did take place.
语法 · B2Let's say this phone call did take place

let's say 引导假设:let's say 用来临时搭一个假设情境,相当于「就算……」。句中再用一个强调词放在动词前,表示「确实发生过」,把对方的前提照单收下,为后面拆解这个前提做铺垫。

Okay, I'll play. Let's say this phone call did take place.
短语 · A2make a mistake

犯了错

What if he made a mistake?
短语 · C1off the record

私下说、不作记录

警探愿意透露一点内部情况,但先声明这是私下说的,不能当作正式来源引用。

Look, off the record, Bill Armstrong checked this out.
俚语 · C1off the record

私下说、不作记录、不公开引用——这是记者和官方打交道时的行话:内容可以听、可以用,但不能写明来源、不能公开引用。对记者、同行或需要交底的人说最合适;对普通人随口用会显得故作神秘,正式文件里也不出现。

Look, off the record, Bill Armstrong checked this out.
短语 · B1a piece of advice

一条建议

Can I give you a piece of advice?
短语 · B1look in the wrong place

找错了地方、方向不对

You're looking in the wrong place.
短语 · B2stick to something

盯紧证据

Stick to the evidence.
发音Stick to the evidence

Stick to 之间 stick 末尾的音轻轻带过,to 弱读,听起来像连着的一个整体,重音压在 Stick 上。

Stick to the evidence.
短语 · C1shop a book

四处兜售书稿

"Robert Graysmith has quietly been shopping his book about the Zodiac."
短语 · B1not so sure

不太确定

I'm not so sure that's something we want people to know about.
短语 · B2the one thing we know about ...

我们唯一确定的一件事

Robert, what's the one thing we know about Zodiac?
短语 · B2follow through on something

把事情跟到底、说到做到

来电者说,自己曾把线索告诉警方,可他们始终没有把这条线查到底。

I tried to tell the police, but they wouldn't follow through on it.

看懂「追查杀手生日的线索」

这一章能学到

  • 中枪九十分钟后整家人接到恶作剧电话,他不信只是 coincidence
  • 要么事后认出达琳,要么她本来就是故意被打的
  • 贝利外出过圣诞,来电那人说 today is my birthday,非杀不可
  • 十二月十八号走、二十号才来信,当天并没有死人

发音重点

  • hangs up — hangs up 连读时 hangs 末尾的辅音直接接上 up,听起来像连成的一个词,中间没有停顿。
  • get a hold of — a 常弱化为 /ə/,of 也收成轻 /əv/,重音落在 get 和 hold 上,中间两个虚词别加力。
  • Stick to the evidence — Stick to 之间 stick 末尾的音轻轻带过,to 弱读,听起来像连着的一个整体,重音压在 Stick 上。
It's got to be more than just a coincidence, right?

这肯定不只是巧合,对吧? 一句把线索拧成结论的话:先给出判断,再用一句追问把对方拉进来。它适合任何想说服别人相信「这背后有联系」的场合,短、有力,还留了一个让人点头的位置。

He's a liar, Mr. Graysmith.

他在撒谎,格雷史密斯先生。 五个词就把一个身份钉死:不解释动机,不摆证据,只下判断。它适合在别人还愿意相信某个说法时,用最直白的方式把话截断,冷静得近乎无情。

You're looking in the wrong place.

你找错地方了。 一句不留情面的提醒:方向本身错了,再多努力也没用。它短到无法反驳,既能用在查案,也能用在劝人别在死路上较劲,是典型的一句话点醒。

Can I give you a piece of advice?

我能给你一句忠告吗? 一句礼貌的开场白,却把主动权交到了对方手里:不是直接说教,而是先问能不能说。它适合在给建议前留一道门,既显得尊重,又为接下来那句真话做铺垫。

关于这一章的问题

more than just a coincidence 是什么意思?

不只是巧合,意思是背后有真实联系。It's got to be more than just a coincidence 就是断言「这绝不是偶然」,常用来推案情。

off the record 是什么意思?

私下说、不作记录,记者和线人之间常用。对方说 off the record,就是接下来讲的话你别公开引用。

follow through 是什么意思?

把事情跟到底、说到做到。I told the police, but they wouldn't follow through 就是「我报过警,可他们不肯追查到底」。

「你找错方向了」英语怎么说?

You're looking in the wrong place. 直译就是「你找的地方不对」,劝人别在没结果的方向上耗,语气直接又不失礼貌。

这段追查的关键突破是什么?

贝利先生的秘书说,当年凶手打电话留言,说自己必须杀人,因为那天是他的生日。这个日期成了格雷史密斯追查嫌疑人的新线索。

十二宫 · 共 30 章

全部章节 →
下一章 · 第 25 章tread lightly追查马歇尔笔迹
第 1 章creep someone out烟花夜停车遭枪击第 2 章I wouldn't kid you收到凶手的认罪信第 3 章shed light on编辑部争论要不要登密码第 4 章get any ideas湖边情侣遭持枪挟持第 5 章a hell of a get-up湖边双尸案与电台争论第 6 章flag a cab出租车司机遇害查案第 7 章did in杀手来信扬言扫射校车第 8 章skip town跨辖区互相踢皮球第 9 章at a moment's notice电视直播等杀手来电第 10 章crack the code秘密会面里接凶手电话第 11 章What's your angle?破解杀手密信第 12 章the more the merrier搭车遇险跳车逃生第 13 章come out of the woodwork翻旧报戳穿凶手抄新闻第 14 章in my gut约会饭桌上聊凶案第 15 章beat the bushes交换案卷时吵翻第 16 章lost in the shuffle线人供出可疑钓友第 17 章the whole point审讯室里盘问嫌疑人第 18 章greener pastures警方约谈凶嫌母亲第 19 章home turf拼证据申请搜查令第 20 章tore out of here搜查嫌疑人的拖车住处第 21 章holding the bag老同事交车告别第 22 章fade into a footnote酒吧劝人写书被泼冷水第 23 章yesterday's news软磨硬泡求看案卷正在看 · 第 24 章more than just a coincidence追查杀手生日的线索第 25 章tread lightly追查马歇尔笔迹第 26 章blow over新信反咬办案警探第 27 章put yourself out there瞒着家人追查旧案第 28 章get it in your head追查神秘胶片罐的线报第 29 章the date that didn't end追问刷漆聚会旧事第 30 章cancel each other out上门说服老搭档
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