Real Mermaids? Not Really, But…

Real Mermaids²? Not Really, But…

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

But for almost 70 years, mermaids have been swimming in the southeastern 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.

“My mom was a mermaid¹ actually, so that’s what made me want to do it.”

“I’ve actually been a mermaid for 15 years.”

John Athanason works³ at the springs.

“Weeki Wachee Springs has been here since 1947, making us one of Florida’s oldest and original roadside attractions.”

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. Seventy years ago, only nine people could watch the show. Now, as many as 500 do.

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. They wear lights to help them see in the tube. It has air hoses⁴ 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 that sometimes gently bite their fingers.

Athanason says few women can become mermaids.

“We recently had an audition⁵ where 50 young women showed up. We were looking to hire potentially six at that time. And at the end of the auditions⁶, we saw two that could possibly do it -- so out of the 50, two made it. But both of them quit by the end of the week, because it was that difficult.”

VOA spoke⁷ with children and adults who watched the show.

“Fiona had seen some of it on one of the kid’s TV shows, and she really wanted to come see it in person. So we are really excited to be able to make the trip.”

“I really want to be a mermaid.”

“Yeah, I wish, I wish I can be just like Ariela.”

Mermaid Emily had wanted to be a mermaid since she was five. Now she is.

“(It was) always like a dream of mine to work here, like go to college and work here. And actually, my favorite mermaid when I was younger used to be Mermaid Sativa, and now it’s really cool 'cause I get to work with her. So it’s, it's like getting to work with your favorite super hero -- something like that.”

Words in This Story

spring – n. a source of water coming up from the ground

roadside attraction – n. an often small, local activity that is interesting or enjoyable and that people want to visit, see, or do

audition – v. to try out for a role in a performance, such as a play or film, a position in an orchestra⁸, etc.; to perform in an audition

in person – expression used to say that a person is actually present at a place

1 mermaid   

n.美人鱼

参考例句：

• How popular would that girl be with the only mermaid mom!和人鱼妈妈在一起，那个女孩会有多受欢迎！
• The little mermaid wasn't happy because she didn't want to wait.小美人鱼不太高兴，因为她等不及了。

2 mermaids   

n.（传说中的）美人鱼( mermaid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The high stern castle was a riot or carved gods, demons, knights, kings, warriors, mermaids, cherubs. 其尾部高耸的船楼上雕满了神仙、妖魔鬼怪、骑士、国王、勇士、美人鱼、天使。 来自辞典例句
• This is why mermaids should never come on land. 这就是为什么人鱼不应该上岸的原因。 来自电影对白

3 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• 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。

4 hoses   

n.连裤袜( hose的名词复数 )；长统袜；软管；胶管

参考例句：

• The fireman trained their hoses on the burning building. 消防队员把水龙带对准燃烧的建筑物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Are there any fire hoses in the building? 在这幢大楼里有消防水管吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 audition   

n.(对志愿艺人等的)面试(指试读、试唱等)

参考例句：

• I'm going to the audition but I don't expect I'll get a part.我去试音，可并不指望会给我个角色演出。
• At first,they said he was too young,but later they called him for an audition.起初，他们说他太小，但后来他们叫他去试听。

6 auditions   

n.（对拟做演员、歌手、乐师等人的）试听，试音( audition的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Find modeling auditions, casting calls& acting auditions, all in one place. 找一个立体感试听，铸造呼叫和表演试听一体的地方。 来自互联网
• We are now about to start auditions to find a touring guitarist. 我们现在准备找一个新的吉他手。 来自互联网

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。