Title: Real Mermaids? Not Really, But…

Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/merm_audio.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Real Mermaids? Not Really, But' data-article-id='1573'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='7250'>Mermaids -- half woman, half fish -- are not supposed to exist.</span> <span data-start-time='7250' data-end-time='15458'>But for almost 70 years, mermaids have been swimming in the southeastern state of Florida.</span> <span data-start-time='15458' data-end-time='24646'>VOA recently visited the Weeki Wachee freshwater spring to learn about these mermaids.</span> <span data-start-time='24646' data-end-time='29313'>These are some of the famous Weeki Wachee mermaids.</span> <span data-start-time='29313' data-end-time='33917'>“My mom was a mermaid actually, so that’s what made me want to do it.”</span> <span data-start-time='33917' data-end-time='37125'>“I’ve actually been a mermaid for 15 years.”</span> <span data-start-time='37125' data-end-time='40458'>John Athanason works at the springs.</span> <span data-start-time='40458' data-end-time='48000'>“Weeki Wachee Springs has been here since 1947, making us one of Florida’s oldest and original roadside attractions.”</span> <span data-start-time='48000' data-end-time='57333'>Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld did not exist when the mermaid show began.</span> <span data-start-time='57333' data-end-time='67500'>It was one of the only entertainment places for families in central Florida in the 1950s and 1960s.</span> <span data-start-time='67500' data-end-time='73646'>Seventy years ago, only nine people could watch the show.</span> <span data-start-time='73646' data-end-time='77771'>Now, as many as 500 do.</span> <span data-start-time='77771' data-end-time='88542'>During the show, mermaids perform dance exercises, play with fish and show how to eat and drink underwater.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/merm_img.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=6295 data-hint-location='48000' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/what_does_exist_mean.m4a'>What does exist mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='to be found, especially in a particular place'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/an_illegal_activity.m4a'><span>an illegal activity</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/to_argue.m4a'><span>to argue</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/the_main_idea.m4a'><span>the main idea</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/to_be_found_especially_in_a_particular_place.m4a'><span>to be found, especially in a particular place</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=6296 data-hint-location='7250' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/in_what_state_can_you_find_the_mermaids.m4a'>In what state can you find the mermaids?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Florida'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/maryland.m4a'><span>Maryland</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/florida.m4a'><span>Florida</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/california.m4a'><span>California</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/new_jersey.m4a'><span>New Jersey</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=6297 data-hint-location='40458' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/weeki_wachee_springs_has_been_around_since__blank_.m4a'>Weeki Wachee Springs has been around since <span class='blank'>1947</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='1947'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/1947.m4a'><span>1947</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/2016.m4a'><span>2016</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/2000.m4a'><span>2000</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1051/1980.m4a'><span>1980</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>

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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 mermaid actually, so that’s what made me want to do it.” “I’ve actually been a mermaid for 15 years.” John Athanason works 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.

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