◎周虹汶

A mythical, ape-like creature that has captured the imagination of adventurers for decades has now become the target of a state lawmaker in Oklahoma.

數十年來激發冒險者想像的神秘像猿生物，現在變成奧克拉荷馬州立法者鎖定的目標。

A Republican House member has introduced a bill that would create a Bigfoot hunting season. Rep. Justin Humphrey’s district includes the heavily forested Ouachita Mountains in southeast Oklahoma, where a Bigfoot festival is held each year near the Arkansas border. He says issuing a state hunting license and tag could help boost tourism.

一名共和黨眾議院成員提交了可能創設大腳怪狩獵季的法律草案。州議員賈斯汀．韓佛瑞的選區包含奧克拉荷馬州東南部森林茂密的沃希托山嶺，當地每年在阿肯色州邊境舉行大腳怪祭。他說，頒發州狩獵許可證和獵物物種證可能有助促進觀光業。

Humphrey says his bill would only allow trapping and that he also hopes to secure $25,000 to be offered as a bounty.

韓佛瑞說，他的法律草案可能只會允許誘捕，且他也希望弄到2萬5000美元來當賞金。

Micah Holmes, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, which oversees hunting in Oklahoma, told television station KOCO that the agency uses science-driven research and doesn’t recognize Bigfoot. (AP)

負責監督奧克拉荷馬州狩獵行為的該州野生生物保育局發言人米卡．福爾摩斯告訴KOCO電視台，該局使用科學驅動的搜尋方法，沒有認出大腳怪。（美聯社）

【Dictionary 新聞辭典】

capture：動詞，指捕獲、俘擄、佔領、奪得；名詞，指獲得、戰利品、獎品。例句：She captured the hearts of audience.（她擄獲觀眾的心。）

boost：名詞、動詞，指改善、推動。例句：Passing that driving test was such a boost to his confidence.（通過駕駛執照考試，讓他自信心大增。）

trap：名詞，指陷阱、捕捉器、圈套、詭計、嘴、雙輪輕便馬車；動詞，指捕捉、為利用而收集保存。例句：He had been trapped into saying something he did not mean.（他被迫說了違心之論。）

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  美國加州斯科茨谷山區道路去年11月驚見傳說中的大腳怪，原來是附近「大腳怪探索博物館」失竊的4尺（約132公分）高木雕。（美聯社檔案照）