研英翻译演练(31)

a great leader must have a certain irrational quality, a stubborn refusal to face facts, infectious optimism, the ability to convince us that all is not lost even when we're afraid it is.

参考答案:

要点：a certain irrational quality, a stubborn refusal...,infectious optimism, the ability...是并列的名词短语，都作have的宾语。that从句作convince的直接宾语。when we're afraid it is 是时间状语从句，it is 后面省略了表语lost。

译文：一个伟大的领袖必须有某种非理性的特点，他坚决拒绝面对现实，他的乐观精神富有感染力，即使在我们担心一切都已经失去的时候，他也有能力使我们确信事实并非如此。