美国国家公共电台 NPR How A 5-Year-Old Made Sure The Grinch Didn't Steal Christmas This Year

 

LAUREN FRAYER, HOST:

Five-year-old TyLon Pittman of Byram, Miss., had a hot tip on a heist last week, so he called 911.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: This is the Byram Police Department. We had a 911 hang up from this number.

TYLON PITTMAN: I'm just trying to tell you something. Watch for the Grinch 'cause the Grinch going to steal Christmas, OK?

FRAYER: That's right. TyLon was trying to turn in the Grinch. He'd been watching doctored YouTube videos of the classic¹ Christmas tale, "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," and he was getting pretty worried about it. Officer Lauren Develle of the Byram, Miss., PD got wind of TyLon's call.

LAUREN DEVELLE: He actually really thought that the Grinch was going to come and steal everybody's Christmas.

FRAYER: So Officer Develle paid a visit to TyLon's house to assure² him that the police had the situation well in hand.

DEVELLE: He really kind of just needed that reassurance³ from someone that, you know, Grinch cannot do that this year. He's just not going to get away with it.

FRAYER: She asked TyLon what should happen if the Grinch did show up, and he told her they should pick him up and put him in jail⁴. So the next night, TyLon got to do that himself. With the blessing⁵ of Chief Luke Thompson, Officer Develle set up the arrest with a friend in costume⁶ as the mean monster.

DEVELLE: He got in the back of my car as the Grinch and let me get TyLon and bring him into the station for booking.

FRAYER: TyLon wants to be a police officer himself one day, and that night, he left the station with an armful of gifts from the officers at the Byram Police Department, including a little toy police car. But the most important gift came from Officer Develle - a copy of the book "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr⁷. Seuss to set the record straight about the story.

DEVELLE: It's all about the Christmas joy, bringing the joy of Christmas to a mean Grinch's heart. And I just wanted to make sure that TyLon knew that as well, that the Grinch was really capable⁸ of loving Christmas as well.

FRAYER: Officer Lauren Develle of the Byram, Miss., Police Department.

1 classic   

n.经典作品；adj.经典的，一流的；古典的

参考例句：

• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。
• The football match was a classic.那场足球比赛堪称典范。

2 assure   

vt.使确信；向…保证，使有保证

参考例句：

• The only ladder to assure success is to work hard.确保成功的惟一途径是刻苦努力。
• I assure you that she can be trusted to do the job.我担保她能做好这项工作。

3 reassurance   

n.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• He drew reassurance from the enthusiastic applause.热烈的掌声使他获得了信心。
• Reassurance is especially critical when it comes to military activities.消除疑虑在军事活动方面尤为关键。

4 jail   

n.监狱，看守所；vt.监禁，拘留

参考例句：

• The castle had been used as a jail.这城堡曾用作监狱。
• If she carries on shoplifting,she'll end up in jail.她如果还在店铺里偷东西，最终会被抓进监狱的。

5 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

6 costume   

n.装束，服装

参考例句：

• She had excellent taste in costume.她对衣着特别讲究。
• The kimono is part of the national costume of Japan.和服是日本民族服装的一部分。

7 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。

8 capable   

adj.有能力的，有才能的

参考例句：

• The new woman secretary was extremely clever and capable.这位新来的女秘书很是精明强干。
• Jim is capable at sports.吉姆擅长运动。