Writing for Cultural Thought Patterns

Directions: Read the below content about the “Fountain of Youth” (Mental Floss, 2014). Then, draft a short main idea summary publicizing this topic to a cultural audience by focusing on using the same content across the two (linear and indirect only) different cultural thought patterns (100 words max.). The fountain of youth that Ponce de Leon is said to have searched for 500 years ago could be a radioactive well beneath an abandoned Florida lot. Residents have been drinking the legendary water since the late 19th century. Back in 1926, the coastal town raised money to construct a green-tiled fountain that still stands today. Many believed in the water's mystical properties, and at the peak of its popularity in the mid-20th century, the fountain’s handle was used so often it needed to be replaced every six months. The interest in the Punta Gorda fountain has since stopped, largely thanks to the Clean Water Act of 1972. All public water sources needed to be tested for a number of contaminants, and the fountain's tests yielded some alarming results. The city council moved to plug up the well for good and instead supply the fountain with city water, but public opposition eventually won. Despite the well’s concerning—though not fatal—levels of radiation, people are still placing faith in its life-extending properties. It turns out there could be some science supporting this century-old superstition. Some visitors show up with plastic bottles and large jugs to fill up with water and take home with them. One gentleman was known to use the water to wash his car, while another elderly woman claimed to use it to brew her tea. Do you want the secret to youth? The city said it was radioactive and there was a replacement. One lady used it to brew the tea. I guess its time to book a trip to Punta Gorda. Indirect: Linear: