这是间接引语.一般情况下,若主句中的动词是过去时,其从句也用过去时,但在以下情况中,即使主句中动词用过去时,从句中仍然用现在时态：
1.从句中说的是永恒的真理：The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
2.从句中说的是仍然存在的客观事实：The man said that people are confident of their own ability to rebuild their homes after the Sandy disaster.