Reading
The Search for Bigfoot
People have always been fascinated with the idea that there may still be large, scary, and perhaps even dangerous animals or monsters out there that science has not yet discovered. This fascination has manifested itself in the search for UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, vampires, werewolves, and, of course, Bigfoot. Unlike some of these other, more fantastical beasts, the legend of Bigfoot has been around, in one form or another, for thousands of years. Since almost the beginning of recorded history, people on several continents have been claiming that there exists a large, hairy, half-man, half-ape creature that, unfortunately so far, has proved impossible to identify or locate. In places as far-flung as Oregon in the US, Tibet, the Congo, and Siberia, people have told stories of Bigfoot in one form or another. But what evidence has been found so far to help prove that Bigfoot is more than a myth?
Well, first, there are the eye-witness accounts of people who say they have seen or heard strange things in the forests, mountains and other places Bigfoot is supposed to live. These sources include US Forest Rangers, Himalayan mountain guides, and others, who have all described roughly similar encounters – seeing a two to three meter tall creature with dark hair covering its body, or hearing a strange, almost eerie cry in the night that sounds like nothing they have ever heard before. Second, there have been many well-documented examples of unusually large footprints found in soft soil or mud. While these have raised awareness of and interest in the Bigfoot phenomenon, most scientists have refused to take a firm stand on the legitimacy of these prints as evidence that Bigfoot exists. So, recently, scientists have been trying a variety of modern, high-tech Bigfoot hunting techniques, including heat, motion and sound-sensing devices, aerial and remote video observation, and computer analyses to help locate the elusive ape-man. Thus far, none these have yielded any new evidence, but scientists and amateurs alike are hopeful that all the efforts they have been making will one day demonstrate to the world that Bigfoot is real. But, whether or not real proof of the creature is ever found, the legend of Bigfoot has continued to generate excitement, and perhaps a little healthy fear, in those who walk alone in the woods.
Questions
Choose the best explanation for the following phrases.
- "Elusive" means:
- "Places as far-flung as" means:
- "Scientists have refused to take a firm stand" means:
- "Eye-witness accounts" are:
- "Fantastical beasts" means:
Are the following statements about the reading correct?
1. There are three major sources of information about Bigfoot – eye-witnesses, footprints, and video observation.
2. New technology has been very helpful in the hunt for Bigfoot.
3. Bigfoot is thought to look different on different continents.
4. The writer believes that Bigfoot is more likely to exist than UFOs, vampires, or werewolves.
5. There is concrete evidence of Bigfoot's existence, but scientists largely ignore it as nonsense.