Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt 安娜·埃莉诺·罗斯福 Chapter 1 Early Years

It was spring, 1887. Eleanor Roosevelt was almost three years old. She was very excited. She was going to cross the Atlantic Ocean on a great ship, the Britannica. Her father, whom Eleanor adored¹, had told her about the different countries that the family would visit.

The Britannica left from New York City’s harbor². On the very first day of the voyage, the fog was very thick. Ships coming into the harbor could be heard, but they could not be seen easily. Suddenly the sound of ripping³ steel filled the air. Another ship had rammed⁴ into the Britannica!

Was the Britannica going to sink? Would everyone drown? People onboard panicked.

Eleanor’s father got her mother, her aunt, Eleanor’s nurse, and himself into a boat. But where was Eleanor?

She was still on the deck⁵ of the ship! As the lifeboat was lowered into the ocean, her father saw her. He pleaded⁶ with her to jump into his arms.

“Jump, Little Nell, jump. I’ll catch you,” cried her father.

But Eleanor was too scared. Finally, Eleanor let go of the sailor holding her, and she fell into her father’s waiting arms.

The lifeboat took them safely to shore. And Eleanor was able to calm down. But that terrible day stayed with Eleanor all her life. It took her years to overcome her fear of water and boats. Even so, that fearful⁷ little girl became a fearless, famous world traveler.

Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884, in New York City. She was named Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. She was called Eleanor because her mother’s name was also Anna. Eleanor’s mother was known for her great beauty. Her father, Elliott Roosevelt, was a smart, dashing gentleman. They both came from rich and successful families. They could trace⁸ their ancestors back over two hundred years.

At the turn of the century, rich and poor people lived very different lives. In New York City, the rich lived in mansions⁹. They had servants who waited on them. The rich all seemed to know one another. They married one another. The men worked as bankers, lawyers, or in a family business. Women did not work. They stayed home, entertained, and visited one another. It was important to dress fashionably and look lovely.

Eleanor knew she did not have her mother’s beauty. She thought of herself as an awkward¹⁰ and ugly child. She sensed that her mother was disappointed in her. She felt that she could never please her. Yet Eleanor knew that her father loved her dearly. And she, in turn, wanted to please him and make him proud of her.

NEW YORK CITY TENEMENTS¹¹

IN THE LATE 1800S AND EARLY 1900S, POOR PEOPLE LIVED IN SMALL, CROWED BUILDINGS CALLED TENEMENTS. WHOLE FAMILIES OFTEN LIVED IN ONE, SMALL ROOM. EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY WORKED, INCLUDING CHILDREN. SOME STARTED WHEN THEY WERE ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD. VERY FEW POOR CHILDREN WENT TO SCHOOL. MANY OF THE POOR LIVED IN A PART OF NEW YORK CITY CALLED THE LOWER EAST SIDE. THEY WORKED IN FACTORIES, EARNING JUST PENNIES EACH DAY. THE FACTORIES WERE DANGEROUS PLACES WHERE ACCIDENTS HAPPENED. IT WAS A HARD LIFE, BUT ONE THAT MANY PEOPLE FACED WHEN THEY FIRST CAME TO THE UNITED STATES.

1 adored   

爱慕，崇拜( adore的过去式和过去分词 )； 非常喜欢

参考例句：

• For all her faults, Tallulah's friends tolerated and even adored her. 尽管塔卢拉有缺点，她的朋友们却宽容她，甚至崇拜她。
• They adored her as a living goddess. 他们把她当作活女神崇拜。

2 harbor   

n.海港，港口；vt.庇护，藏匿；心怀(怨恨等)

参考例句：

• The harbor lies to the south of the city.港口在城市的南边。
• At that time,our ship was tied up at this harbor.当时我们的船停靠在这个港口。

3 ripping   

adj.撕的，劈的，折的adv.极妙地，非凡地v.扯破，撕坏( rip的现在分词 )；撕成；锯；猛地扯开

参考例句：

• A special news program exposed underhanded auto repair shops that are ripping off senior citizens. 一个特别新闻节目揭露了一家敲榨老年人的卑鄙的汽车维修店。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Look at that man in the blouse, isn't he ripping! 看那个穿着宽罩衫的男人，他多么漂亮！ 来自辞典例句

4 rammed   

v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来，出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。
• I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 deck   

n.甲板；公共汽车一层的车厢；纸牌；vt.装饰

参考例句：

• Let's have a walk round the deck.我们去甲板上散步吧。
• The sea wind swept over the deck.海风席卷过甲板。

6 pleaded   

恳求，请求( plead的过去式和过去分词 )； 提出…为借口[理由]； （向法庭）陈述案情； （在法庭）申辩，认罪，辩护

参考例句：

• She pleaded with him not to go. 她恳求他不要离开。
• She wept and pleaded until he agreed to do as she wished. 她哭着恳求他，一直到他答应按她的愿望去做。

7 fearful   

adj.惧怕的，担心的；可怕的，吓人的

参考例句：

• What a fearful waste of time!简直太浪费时间了！
• They are fearful of another business depression.他们担心会再次发生商业萧条。

8 trace   

n.痕迹，踪迹，微量；vt.追踪，找出根源，描绘；vi.追踪

参考例句：

• There isn't a trace of a smile on her face.她脸上没有一丝笑容。
• We have lost all trace of him.我们找不到他的踪迹。

9 mansions   

n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Fifth Avenue was boarded up where the rich had deserted their mansions. 第五大道上的富翁们已经出去避暑，空出的宅第都已锁好了门窗，钉上了木板。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Oh, the mansions, the lights, the perfume, the loaded boudoirs and tables! 啊，那些高楼大厦、华灯、香水、藏金收银的闺房还有摆满山珍海味的餐桌！ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

10 awkward   

adj.笨拙的，尴尬的，使用不便的，难处理的

参考例句：

• John is so shy and awkward that everyone notices him.约翰如此害羞狼狈，以至于大家都注意到了他。
• I was the only man among the guests and felt rather awkward.作为客人中的唯一男性，我有些窘迫。

11 tenements   

n.房屋，住户，租房子( tenement的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Here were crumbling tenements, squalid courtyards and stinking alleys. 随处可见破烂的住房、肮脏的庭院和臭气熏天的小胡同。 来自辞典例句
• The tenements are in a poor section of the city. 共同住宅是在城中较贫苦的区域里。 来自辞典例句