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Brazilian researchers working in the Amazon rain forest
A. Scan the article. Where does the Amazon River begin and end?
B. Scan the article. Find two examples of why the Amazon is "extreme."
C. CRITICAL THINKING Talk with a partner. Do you think the Amazon is important to us? Why?
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The anaconda is the world's largest snake.
EXTREME AMAZON!
The Amazon River begins in the Andes Mountains in Peru. It travels about 6,000 kilometers to the Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest river in the world. It is also the second longest. Most of the Amazon's water comes from rain. During the rainy season, parts of the river are 190 kilometers wide.
The Amazon River goes through the world's largest rain forest. The Amazon rain forest is home to the highest number of plant and animal species on Earth. There are around 2.5 million kinds of insects, such as the world's largest ant. At least 3,000 kinds of fish live there, and one-fifth of all the bird species in the world.
Some of the Amazon's animals are dangerous, such as the anaconda, the largest snake in the world.
The Amazon is very important to Earth. If we lose the Amazon, we will lose a big part of life on Earth.
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