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Part C: Translation (2014 英二)

Part 1: Full Text (Click to Translate)

Most people would define optimism as being endlessly happy, with glass thats perpetually half full. But thats exactly the kind of false cheerfulness that positive psychologists wouldnt recommend. "Healthy optimism means being in touch with reality," says Tal Ben-Shahar, Harvard professor. According to Ben-Shahar, realistic optimists are those who make the best of things that happen, but not those who believe everything happens for the best. 
Ben-Shahar uses three optimistic exercises. When he feels down say, after giving bad lecture he grants himself permission to be human. He reminds himself that not every lecture can be Nobel winner; some will be less effective than others. Next is reconstruction. He analyzes the weak lecture, learning lessons for the future about what works and what doesnt. Finally, there is perspective, which involves acknowledging that in the grand scheme of life, one lecture really doesnt matter. 

Part 2: Sentence Translation (Click to Expand)

01Most people would define optimism as being endlessly happy, with a glass that's perpetually half full.
02But that's exactly the kind of false cheerfulness that positive psychologists wouldn't recommend.
03"Healthy optimism means being in touch with reality," says Tal Ben-Shahar, a Harvard professor.
04According to Ben-Shahar, realistic optimists are those who make the best of things that happen, but not those who believe everything happens for the best.
05Ben-Shahar uses three optimistic exercises.
06When he feels down - say, after giving a bad lecture - he grants himself permission to be human.
07He reminds himself that not every lecture can be a Nobel winner; some will be less effective than others.
08Next is reconstruction.
09He analyzes the weak lecture, learning lessons for the future about what works and what doesn't.
10Finally, there is perspective, which involves acknowledging that in the grand scheme of life, one lecture really doesn't matter.

Part 3: Syntax Analysis (重点句型剖析)

01 句型拆解:固定搭配与 with 复合结构
主干为 Most people would define optimism as being endlessly happy,使用了 define... as...(把……定义为……)结构。逗号后 with a glass that's perpetually half full 充当伴随状语,其中 that 引导定语从句修饰 glass。在这里,“杯子半满”是英语中形容乐观主义者的一个经典比喻。

04 句型拆解:对比排比与双重定语从句
主干为 realistic optimists are those... but not those...。前半部分中,who make the best of things 是定语从句修饰 those,而 that happen 又是定语从句修饰 things。后半部分中,who believe everything happens for the best 是另一个定语从句修饰 those,其中 believe 后面跟了省略 that 的宾语从句 everything happens for the best

06 句型拆解:双破折号插入语与不定式作宾补
句首 When he feels down 是时间状语从句。破折号 say, after giving a bad lecture 是插入语,起到举例解释的作用(say 在此意为“比如说”)。主句 he grants himself permission to be human 中,grant sb. sth. 为双宾语结构,to be human 为不定式短语作 permission 的后置定语。

10 句型拆解:非限制性定语从句与宾语从句
主干为 Finally, there is perspective(最后是视角)。逗号之后是由 which 引导的非限制性定语从句,修饰 perspective。在从句 which involves acknowledging that... 中,动名词 acknowledging 作 involves 的宾语,而它自身又带了一个 that 引导的宾语从句 that in the grand scheme of life, one lecture really doesn't matter

Practice makes perfect.