Enter the Jungle Maze.

 One moment you were at home reading a book and now you are standing in the jungle, deep in the Amazon rainforest.

Beside you flows a slow-moving river, murky brown from all the silt it carries downstream. You hear monkeys screeching in the tall trees across the water. The air is hot and buzzing with insects. As you watch, the tiny flying creatures gather together in an unnatural cloud formation and then separate to form words:

WELCOME they spell in giant letters.

This is crazy you think.

NOPE, IT’S NOT CRAZY spell the insects. THIS IS THE START OF THE SORCERER’S MAZE.

Then the insect cloud bursts apart and the tiny creatures buzz off. What’s next you wonder?

Twenty yards away two kids, about your age, stand beside a small boat with a little outboard motor attached to its stern. The boat has a blue roof to protect its occupants from the hot tropical sun.

They both smile and wave.

The girl walks towards you. “Do you want a ride up river?” she asks. “My brother and I know the Amazon well.”

“Do you work for the sorcerer?” you ask. “He designed the maze, didn’t he?”

The girl nods. “Yes. My brother and I are his apprentices. The sorcerer wants you to have company while you’re here.”

The two of you walk back down to the river’s edge.

“This is Rodrigo. I’m Maria.”

You drop your daypack into the dugout and hold out your hand. “Hi Rodrigo, interesting looking boat.”

Rodrigo shakes your hand. “It does the job. But before we can go upriver,” he says, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. “The sorcerer wants me to ask you a question. If you get it right, we can leave.”

“And if not?” you ask.

“I’ve got more questions,” the boy says, patting his pocket. “I’m sure you’ll get one right eventually.” He unfolds the paper. “Okay, here’s your first question. Which of the following statements is true?”

It is time to make a choice. Which do you choose?

The Amazon River has over 3000 known species of fish.

Or

The Amazon River has less that 1000 known species of fish.