近期發表的一份名為《邊緣科學怪異報告》稱，英國在去年共經歷了227起“超自然事件”，是目前為止最高的記錄。這份報告是由英國圣公會的一位牧師編寫的，在這227起“超自然事件”中，“撞鬼”事件、 不明飛行物、怪聲以及公路上的奇幻現象占到多數。此外，報告中還提到鬼怪、麥田怪圈和傳說中的幽靈大黑狗等事件。在此前的年度記錄中，每年經歷的“超自然事件”約為140到180起，不過近年來這個數字在不斷攀升。編寫報告的牧師指出，在手機與網絡普及的科技時代，信息傳播的速度更快，此類事件數量上升可能也有這個因素的影響。

Some of the paranormal hotspots around the country.

A report revealed that Britain has been witness to a record number of 227 spooky events last year.

The Fringe Weird Report compiled by the Rev Lionel Fanthorpe, a Cardiff-based Anglican priest, found that ghosts, UFOs, strange sounds and road phantoms were the most common spooks experienced.

Also among the reports are poltergeists, crop circles and shucks - spectres of large black dogs.

In a normal year there are 140 to 180 reports but the number has been rising steadily.

"It has to be considered that news spreads faster in our technological days with mobile phones and the Internet. However, it’s beginning to look as if 2010 will produce a higher-than-average number of reports," the Sun quoted Fanthorpe as saying.

Some of the paranormal hotspots around the country:

Prestwick: The most recent event - a man on Saturday reported seeing a ball-shaped red object in the sky close to this Scottish town that changed colour, flew and was joined by other similar shapes.

Truro: Passers-by reported in February hearing the rattling of chains at Comprigney Field, where criminals'' bodies were exhibited in an iron cage known as a gibbet.

Ipswich: A woman was seen in February looking from a window in the Crown Hotel when the room was thought to be unoccupied.

Trowbridge: Unexplained orbs of light, a strange phantom figure and examples of poltergeist activity were reported in March at the Wiltshire town''s Rose and Crown pub.

Exeter: St Thomas station is apparently haunted by a person wearing heels who likes to pat dogs. The animals respond affectionately even though no one can be seen. The latest report was in August.

York: A girl carrying a child is reported on misty evenings on the A64 Malton Road where a highwayman supposedly murdered her. She was spotted in April.

Culcreach Castle: A phantom harpist plays and in June was heard by boatmen on Loch Lomond.

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(Agencies)

Vocabulary:

poltergeist: troublesome spirit or ghost 鬼怪

shuck: the name given to a ghostly black dog which is said to roam the Norfolk, Essex and Suffolk coastline. 指經常游移在諾福克、埃塞克斯以及蘇佛克海岸線附近的幽靈大黑狗。在英國，人們經常看到這種動物，并將它們稱為黑夏克（Black Shuck，Shuck來自盎格魯—撒克遜語的scucca，意思是魔鬼），老夏克（Old Shuck）。

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）