How much does the average American eat in a year? Try our kids’ quiz

Illustration: Hennie Haworth/The Guardian

1. Myla, 9, asks: how much does the average American person eat in a year?

   1. The same in weight as a baby humpback whale

   2. The same in weight as an adult male whale shark

   3. The same in weight as a female orca

   4. The same in weight as an adult blue whale

2. Rory, 4, asks: why do sea turtles hide in their shells?

   1. To keep them safe from creatures that might try to eat them

   2. They hide in their shells when they’re sleepy

   3. They do it when they are feeling shy

   4. Sea turtles don’t hide in their shells

3. Kylie, 10, asks: why do fish blow bubbles?

   1. To communicate with each other

   2. All fish blow bubbles to breathe out air

   3. It depends on the type of fish

   4. Fish can’t blow bubbles

4. Aaron, 11, asks: do other animals have puberty?

   1. No, only humans

   2. Yes, monkeys and apes do, too

   3. Yes, all animals go through a kind of puberty

   4. Yes, whales do

5. Hayley, 8, asks: why do dogs have tails?

   1. Because they look cute to other dogs

   2. To balance, move and communicate

   3. So that when they sit, it cushions their bottom

   4. They’re left over from when dogs used to walk in lines holding the one in front’s tail in their mouth to keep together

Solutions

1:A - The average American eats 905kg of food each year, about the weight of a baby humpback whale., 2:D - Lots of turtle and tortoise species can retract their heads into their shells but sea turtles can’t. They have smaller, flatter shells, which helps them move fast, and flipper-like feet that make them speedy swimmers. So they can’t hide in their shells from predators, but they can get away quickly!, 3:C - Most fish don’t blow bubbles, but breathe through their gills. Bettas and gouramis can, some fish do it to control their buoyancy in water, and male labyrinth fish blow bubbles to form a foam-like nest for females to lay eggs! If a goldfish blows bubbles, it means its tank needs cleaning and it’s at risk of running out of oxygen., 4:C - All animals go through a period of change as they get older and begin to develop adult characteristics and be able to make babies., 5:B - Tails help dogs balance and communicate. Puppies don’t wag them till around 30 days old when they start learning to “speak” to one another! Some dogs use their tails to steer when they swim, like boat rudders.

Scores

1. 5 and above.

2. 4 and above.

3. 3 and above.

4. 2 and above.

5. 0 and above.

6. 1 and above.

Molly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a weekly podcast answering children’s questions, out now as a book.

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