情景对话：

A: What are you doing here, Tom?

汤姆，你在干什么？

B: Playing games.

玩游戏。

A: Playing?

玩游戏？

B: Why not?

不行么？

A: You failed the exam, Tom. Could you tell me the reason?

你考试不及格，汤姆，你能告诉我是什么原因么？

B: I'm sorry.

对不起。

A: Sorry? For what? You did not study hard?

对不起？为什么说对不起？你学习没有用功么？

B: No. The test was difficult, to say the least.

不是，只是这次的考试题太难了。

一， 词海拾贝

to say at the least：至少可以说

e.g. I was surprised at what he said, to say the least.

毫不夸张地说，我对他的话感到吃惊。

e.g. His conduct that evening was, to say the least, curious.

他那天晚上的举动可说是够古怪的了。

e.g. Her remarks were ill-advised, to say the least.

她的话不够谨慎，至少可以这么说。

e.g. The appearance of Frank Cowperwood at this time was, to say the least, prepossessing and satisfactory.

Frank Cowperwood这个时候的相貌, 至少可以说是讨人欢喜和令人满意的。

二， 语汇积累

be sorry for

释义1：对……感到抱歉，因……而说对不起

e.g. I'm sorry for what I said; I never meant to insult you.

我为我所说的话道歉，我不是有意要侮辱你。

e.g. I'm sorry for taking it out on you.

对不起，我迁怒于你了。

释义2：对……感到难过，替……感到难过

e.g. They were sorry for the poor, especially for the dear little children.

他们都为穷人难过，特别是为那些亲爱的孩子们感到难过。

e.g. In the midst of her own trouble Winifred was sorry for him.

维妮佛梨德尽管满腔心事，也替他难过起来。

其它：play a game：玩游戏

fail the exam：考试不及格