文化面面观：美国律师知多少

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本片段剧情：Carl的好友兼私人律师Peter听说Carl因被警方怀疑密谋恐怖行动而遭逮捕，就向警方解释Carl的一切可疑行为全是因为那个对一切都要说Yes的契约。Allison知道后非常伤心失望，她认为Carl所做的一切都是被迫接受，而非出自本心。但此时的Carl已然对Yes契约深信不疑……

影片对白：

Peter: Several months ago, my client attended a self-empowerment seminar that requires him to say yes to any request that's presented. So all of the activity that appears suspicious: the flying lessons, the spontaneous trip-taking...it's all because he must say yes to any opportunity. He's really into it.

Allison: Did you say yes to everything? Are you kidding me?

Carl: It's not how it sounds.

Allison: Oh, really? How does it? 'Cause I'd really love to hear this.

Peter: I'm wondering if there's a better setting for this back and forth.

Police officer: Yes, Maybe we should speak privately. Come on outside.

Carl: Whew. That was close.

Allison: What the hell, Carl? Are you serious? You just say yes to everything? Even if you don't like it?

Carl: No, of course not. Sometimes.

Allison: Oh, good. What a relief. Because I thought you lied all the time, but it's just sometimes. That's really excellent. So you didn't wanna come to my show, you didn't wanna go jogging with me, you didn't wanna travel with me?

Carl: Yes, I did. That was my idea.

Allison: When I asked you if you wanted to move in together, that took a lot for me to do that, and I meant it. I didn't know what to expect, but I guess I figured like an adult, you were gonna weigh the options. You paused. You wanted to say no but you couldn't. 'Cause you had to say yes.

Carl: That's not entirely true.

Allison: How do I know if anything you did was because you wanted to or because you were following some goddamn program?

Carl: Allison.

Allison: Bye, Carl.

Carl: I can't believe I didn't tell her I was married. I'm such an idiot. You know what I did?

Peter: What's that?

Carl: She asked me to move in with her and I hesitated. That was like a no. I should have said yes right away, you know? That's how the whole thing got screwed up. I broke the covenant.

Peter: Not really. Maybe things got screwed up because you said yes to every single thing without thinking, not because of a covenant you made to yourself?

Carl: The covenant is with the universe. The covenant is a big deal, man.

Peter: There is a middle ground here, Carl. You can process things. You can weigh them individually and make decisions on a case-by-case basis, a.k.a. what normal people do.

Carl: Yeah, that's a good point. Hold that thought. Allison!

Peter: Or not.

Carl: Allison, please, can't we talk for a sec?

Allison: Get away from me.

Carl: Okay.

Allison: Farther.

Carl: Yeah.

Peter: Carl. Bye, Carl.

妙语佳句 活学活用

1. He's really into it: 他对此十分痴迷。be into是口语，在这里的意思是“对……很有兴趣”，例如：People are into extreme sports now.（现在人们对极限运动颇感兴趣。）

be into还有“从事，卷入”的意思，例如：I was into love.（我堕入情网了。）

另外，be into还可以表示“欠……债”，例如：He is into the bank for ten grand.（他欠银行一万块钱。）

2. figure: <美口> 认为，以为；估计，判断。Allison以为Carl会像成年人一样经过慎重的思考和衡量再做出判断，但是没想到Carl居然是因为一个契约而被动地接受一切。请看例子：They figure themselves quite well-off.（他们自以为相当富裕。）

Figure在口语中还有“明白，理解”的意思。例如：No one can figure him.（没有人能猜得透他。）

3.weigh: 认真考虑，权衡，比较，斟酌。例如：weigh the risks（认真考虑所冒的风险）；weigh a plan against another（权衡一计划与另一计划的优劣）。

4. screw up: <口> 弄糟，搞乱。例如：screw things up（把事情弄糟）。Carl以为是因为自己没有马上答应和Allison同居、没有遵守契约才把他们的关系搞砸的。

5. a.k.a.: also known as 亦称为，又叫作

文化面面观：美国律师知多少

考考你：小试牛刀