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Unlike Franklin, Eleanor had an unhappy childhood. Her father was the younger brother of Theodore Roosevelt（罗斯福家族中美国另外一位总统）, who became president in 1901. Elliott （Eleanor的爸爸）was handsome and engaging（动人的，迷人的）.
Eleanor adored him and he adored his little daughter. But he had a bad drinking problem（酗酒）. Her mother, Anna Hall Roosevelt, was a cold and distant mother（冷漠）. She called Eleanor “Granny （老奶奶）” because she was such a serious child. Eleanor felt like an awkward ugly duckling（丑小鸭） next to her beautiful mother.（爸妈是社交名流，不用工作，妈妈很漂亮）
Both of Eleanor’s parents and her younger brother had all died by the time she was ten.（爸妈和一个弟弟去世） So she and her six-year-old brother（只剩一个弟弟相依为命）, Hall, were sent to live with their grandparents（妈妈家那边的）. The Halls found it a burden to have two young children come to live with them.
Often lonely, Eleanor would escape into dreams （逃到梦里）of happy times with her father. One bright spot（ 困境中令人高兴的事）was Christmastime when she would see her Roosevelt cousins at parties.
Franklin was at one of these parties. He asked her to dance. She accepted even though she didn’t know how. It didn’t seem to matter to Franklin（不会跳没关系）.
Vocabulary
engaging adj. 动人的，迷人的
adore v. 喜爱
ugly duckling 丑小鸭
diphtheria n. 白喉
bright spot 困境中令人高兴的事
Notes
■ Anna Hall Roosevelt
Anna Rebecca Hall Roosevelt (March 17, 1863 – December 7, 1892) was an American socialite. She was the mother of First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt. Anna was described as a celebrated beauty.
■ Elliot Bulloch Roosevelt
Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt (February 28, 1860 – August 14, 1894) was an American socialite. He was the father of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and the younger brother of Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), the 26th President of the United States.
