Real Mermaids? Not Really, But…

Please refresh the page to get the latest updates.

Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

exist

Verb

ɪgˈzɪst

to be real or present

Real ghosts don't exist.

This tree has existed for hundreds of years.

Some simple organisms have existed on earth for hundreds of millions of years.

tube

Noun

tuːb

a long, hollow, circular container for holding liquids or gases

Neon signs are made out of glass tubes.

She's examining the test tube.

hose

Noun

hoʊz

a long hollow tube through which water can travel

Don't leave the garden hose on the grass.

oxygen

Noun

ˈɑːksɪdʒən

a chemical element; a gas that is present in air

Underwater divers need tanks of oxygen to breathe.

This apparatus is designed to help a patient's oxygen flow.

professional

Adjective

prəˈfɛʃənl

worthy of or appropriate to someone who has a job that requires special training or education

Dressing well makes you look more professional.

She works as a professional photographer.

He's a professional tennis player.

His ambition is to be a professional soccer player.

spring

Noun

sprɪŋ

a place where water comes up naturally from underground, or the pool or stream created by water coming up

You can drink safely from this spring.

Water from this spring is sold at a very high price.

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

Real Mermaids? Not Really, But…

Mermaids – half woman, half fish – are not supposed to exist.

But for almost 70 years, mermaids have been swimming in the state of Florida.

VOA recently visited the Weeki Wachee freshwater spring to learn about these mermaids.

These are some of the famous Weeki Wachee mermaids.

Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld did not exist when the mermaid show began. It was one of the only entertainment places for families in central Florida in the 1950s and 1960s.

During the show, mermaids perform dance exercises, play with fish, and show how to eat and drink underwater.

The mermaids swim through a special tube into the spring. It has air hoses they can use to breathe oxygen. The mermaids also use very thin breathing hoses as they perform underwater.

The mermaids are actually young women who trained for up to a year to become a professional mermaid. They must deal with the cold water, and fish and turtles.