as soon as one thing was finished he put it aside and began to work on another as if this new work were the only thing he had been born to work 이 문장에서 as if 뒤에 were가 had been(문장이 과거니까 과거사실 반대), the only thing에 had been born이 그냥 born(역사적? 과거사실 그냥 과거 시점)으로 되어야하지 않나요?

work가 대동사 생략 때문에 없어진다는 건 알겠는데.. 궁금하네요~