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The Everlasting Storm Reading Answers

Bhaskar Das

Dec 2, 2025

The answers for "The Everlasting Storm Reading Answers" include 14 questions and are part of the assessment framework for the IELTS General Reading test. Candidates are allotted 20 minutes to complete the reading responses concerning "The Everlasting Storm Reading Answers." This portion of the IELTS reading exam consists of various question formats, including choosing no more than two words for each, and determining whether the following statements agree with the information given.

The answers for "The Everlasting Storm Reading Answers" offer a comprehensive overview of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, which experiences the world’s highest lightning frequency, creating the famous “Never-Ending Storm of Catatumbo.” Scientific explanations show that trapped warm winds, condensation, and distance-based sound delay—not myths—produce the spectacular, colourful lightning displays. For additional practice with similar reading assessments, candidates can refer to the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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The Everlasting Storm Reading Answers

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The Everlasting Storm Reading Answers

Lake Maracaibo and its lightning

The area in north-west Venezuela where the Catatumbo River meets Lake Maracaibo is not simply noteworthy for its natural beauty, but also for one of nature's most spectacular phenomena: the Beacon of Maracaibo. Lake Maracaibo has the highest incidence rate of lightning strikes on Earth. The area where the Catatumbo River meets the lake attracts an average of 28 lightning strikes per minute, which is about 1.2 million lightning flashes in a year. "The Never-Ending Storm of Catatumbo', as the lighting in the area is sometimes called, was once used by explorers in the Caribbean as a reference point to help them navigate during the night, due to frequency of the lightning. The area has recently been declared by NASA to be the lightning capitol of the world, and has even earned a place in the 2005 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest concentration of lightning, with an average of 250 lightning bolts per square metre each year.

A study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmosphereic Administration calculates that the odds of being struck by lightning once in your lifetime for people living in the United States are 1 in 12,000. In the areas surrounding Lake Maracaibo, 1 to 3 people are struck by lightning every year. How exactly is this phenomenon produced? For hundreds of years, travellers have been captivated by these incredible light shows from 'Maracaibo's Lighthouse', which can last as long as 10 hours through a period of, on average, 297 days each year. Indigenous tribes once believed that the lightning storms were triggered by encounters between fireflies and ancestral evil spirits that were believed to have inhabited the area-the lights produced by the lightning showed the efforts of a fight between good and evil. Such tales are still popular today, commonly fed by the low, seemingly absent thunder which accompanies the lightning and the spectacular colours produced in the sky by the illuminating effects of the lightning.

In addition to the numerous indigenous folk tales, however, many modern theories have also attempted to explain the reason behind the everlasting storm. One of the most popular of these is that vast uranium deposits present in the bedrock surrounding the lake are responsible for attracting the lightning. Another popular idea is that the large number of oil fields in the region release methane in the atmosphere increasing the conductivity of the air above the lake. There is also the theory that humidity plays an important role in the lightning activity since the longest hiatus between events happened during Venezuela's severe drought in 2010. Dr Cybil from Caracas University, however, has asserted that none of these theories are correct. To counter them, she has put forth a theory of her own to explain the large amount of lightning present in the area. "The area is surrounded by the Andes with its high mountains trapping the warm winds coming from the Caribbean Sea. When this hot moist air meets with the cooler air from the Andes, it is forced upwards. This is when large amounts of vapour begin to condense, forming clouds that discharge electricity in the form of lightning bolts. The old tales of fireflies fighting ancient evil spirits is a much appreciated aspect of the local folklore, but they're just stories."

The myth of silent lightning storms in Lake Maracaibo is also easily discredited by scientists and some of the local sceptics. Dr Cybil explains that people believe the storms are silent due to the sluggish speed of sound compared to the speed of light. The scientist says that the lightning storms do not happen near the shore of South America's largest lake, but about 40-70 miles far from the observers, and this is why thunder cannot be heard "It is practically impossible to hear thunder if you are 15 miles or more from the spot where lightning is striking." The flashes appear in a wide variety of colours, ranging from blues and purples to reds and oranges. Dr Cybil attributes the colour change to the presence of dust particles-"As white light passes through varying amounts of dust particles and moisture, it gets absorbed or diffracted making it appear as different colours."

Though the colourful lightning shows are not caused by magical battles between fireflies and

mythical sprites, the Maracaibo lightning storms remain one of the most remarkable, and remarkably beautiful, natural phenomenon on the planet.

Questions 27-33

Do the following statements agree with information given in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 27-36 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this

27. Lake Maracaibo is situated on the north coast of Venezuela.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “The area in north-west Venezuela…”

Keywords: [north-west]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 1, line 1}

Explanation: The passage states Lake Maracaibo is in north-west Venezuela, not on the north coast. Therefore the statement contradicts the text.

28. More than one million lightning bolts strike the area every year.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “...about 1.2 million lightning flashes in a year.”

Keywords: [1.2 million]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 1, line 3}

Explanation: The text clearly states that more than one million lightning events occur annually, so the statement agrees with the passage.

29. Venezuelans are proud of their inclusion in the 2005 edition of Guinness World Book of Records.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Supporting statement: “...earned a place in the 2005 Guinness Book of World Records...”

Keywords: [Guinness Book]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 1, line 5}

Explanation: Although the record is mentioned, there is no information about Venezuelans feeling proud of it. Hence, it is not given.

30. The odds of being struck by lightning in the areas surrounding Lake Maracaibo are 1 in 3.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “...1 to 3 people are struck by lightning every year.”

Keywords: [1 to 3 people]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 2, line 3}

Explanation: The passage does not say the odds are 1 in 3. It only gives actual yearly numbers. Thus, the statement contradicts the text.

31. Many people find the lightning storms fascinating.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “For hundreds of years, travellers have been captivated by these incredible light shows…”

Keywords: [captivated]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 2, line 1}

Explanation: The text states many people found the lightning shows captivating, implying fascination, so the statement is true.

32. The disproved stories of native people remain prevalent.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “Such tales are still popular today…”

Keywords: [still popular today]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 2, line 6}

Explanation: The native stories continue to be believed, so the statement agrees with the passage.

33. The number of storms in 2010 was below average.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “...the longest hiatus… happened during Venezuela’s severe drought in 2010.”

Keywords: [longest hiatus]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 3, line 5}

Explanation: A hiatus means a break. The storms were fewer than usual in 2010, so the statement is true.

Questions 34-36

Do the following statements agree with information given in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 34-36 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this

34. Dr Cybil believes that the varying temperatures Caracas university in the surrounding atmosphere impact the amount of lightning produced around Lake Maracaibo.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “...hot moist air meets cooler air… forming clouds that discharge electricity…”

Keywords: [hot moist air meets cooler air]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 3, lines 7–10}

Explanation: Dr Cybil explains how temperature differences create lightning, so the statement agrees with the text.

35. The lightning storms occur close to the edge of Lake Maracaibo.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “...storms do not happen near the shore, but 40–70 miles away…”

Keywords: [not happen near the shore]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 4, line 3}

Explanation: The storms occur far away from the lake’s edge, contradicting the statement.

36. Some believe that dust particles are responsible for the high number of lightning flashes in the area.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “...colour change… due to dust particles, not the number of flashes.”

Keywords: [colour change]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 4, last lines}

Explanation: Dust impacts colour, not the quantity of lightning. Thus, the statement contradicts the text.

Questions 37-40

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each.

37. Every ……………. Lake Maracaibo gets hit by about 28 lightning bolts.

Answer: every minute

Supporting statement: “...28 lightning strikes per minute…”

Keywords: [per minute]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 1, line 2}

Explanation: The passage specifies lightning frequency per minute, so “every minute” fits the answer.

38. A scientist from ……………….. believes that to pography and wind patterns are the main causes of the phenomenon.

Answer: Caracas University

Supporting statement: “Dr Cybil from Caracas University…”

Keywords: [Caracas University]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 3, line 6}

Explanation: Dr Cybil, from Caracas University, provides the main scientific explanation involving mountains and air patterns.

39. Thunder is very unlikely to be heard from distances above …………………

Answer: 15 miles

Supporting statement: “...impossible to hear thunder if you are 15 miles or more…”

Keywords: [15 miles]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 4, line 5}

Explanation: The text directly states the minimum distance where thunder cannot be heard.

40. A process of ……………….. diffraction makes lighting flashes appear in different colours.

Answer: light absorption

Supporting statement: “...white light… gets absorbed or diffracted…”

Keywords: [absorbed]

Keyword Location: {Paragraph 4, last lines}

Explanation: The colour changes happen due to absorption/diffraction, so “light absorption” completes the phrase.

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*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

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