Giants and Guesses: teacher key

Green Anacondas, grade 10 edition, written for 10th grade. Reports of the biggest green anacondas have not been confirmed. See what was measured, how females and males differ, and how the snakes live.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. As of November 2026, what does one reference say about the true maximum size of a green anaconda?
   • It is the subject of much dispute (answer)
   • It is exactly 40 feet
   • It is smaller than a mouse
2. How long was the female measured on the 2022 expedition in the Ecuadorian Amazon?
   • 63 meters
   • 6.3 meters (20.7 feet) (answer)
   • 0.63 meters
3. What did Rivas find about very large male anacondas?
   • They are always the fastest
   • They never leave the water
   • They may be mistaken for females and courted by smaller males (answer)
4. How do larger female anacondas differ from smaller ones?
   • They have larger clutches but breed less often (answer)
   • They never breed
   • They have smaller clutches and breed more often
5. What does nonvenomous mean?
   • With a lot of venom
   • Without venom (answer)
   • Very large

Words

• clutches: sets of young
• ambush: a hidden wait
• nonvenomous: without venom
• expedition: a research trip