Living in the Shadow of Volcanoes: Reading Answers & Explanations
IELTS Reading practice test · 13 questionsAcademicmedium
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About this passage
The passage opens: “It might seem foolish to build a home beside a volcano. These mountains can erupt with terrifying force, burying fields and towns beneath ash and rock, and history records many disasters in which whole communities were destroyed.”
- Passage length: about 777 words
- Questions: 13
- Question types: True / False / Not Given, Multiple Choice, Short Answer
“Living in the Shadow of Volcanoes” is an original IELTS-style practice passage written by IELTS-Bank. It is not taken from an official IELTS or Cambridge test, so these answers only apply to our version.
Answer key at a glance
Living in the Shadow of Volcanoes answers with explanations
Questions 1–6: True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write TRUE if the statement agrees, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information.
- 1
The land around active volcanoes is often heavily populated.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 1 “…the land around active volcanoes is often densely populated, and some of the most crowded regions on Earth sit within reach of their eruptions.”
- 2
Volcanic ash produces soil that is poor for growing crops.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 2 “…it throws out ash and rock rich in minerals that plants need to grow... it forms soils that are exceptionally productive, capable of supporting abundant crops.”
- 3
Geothermal power from volcanoes can be used to warm homes.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “…the heat stored in the rocks beneath them can be tapped to generate electricity or to warm homes and greenhouses, a clean and renewable source of energy known as geothermal power.”
- 4
Most volcanoes erupt suddenly, giving no signs at all beforehand.
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Answer: FALSE
Why: This sentence directly contradicts the statement, so the answer is FALSE.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “Most volcanoes do not erupt without giving some sign, and scientists have learned to read the signals”
- 5
Deciding exactly when to order an evacuation is a difficult judgement.
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Answer: TRUE
Why: This sentence confirms the statement, so the answer is TRUE.
Evidence · Paragraph 6 “Deciding when to order an evacuation is therefore extremely difficult.”
- 6
More people live near volcanoes today than at any time in the past.
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Answer: NOT GIVEN
Why: The statement claims a historical comparison of population sizes near volcanoes, but the passage does not provide information on whether more people live near volcanoes today than in the past.
Closest related text · Paragraph 2 “A single fertile valley beside a volcano may feed a large population, and the promise of good harvests has repeatedly persuaded people to return and rebuild even after an eruption has driven them away.”
Question 7: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. Because they are unaware of the risks
- B. Because the benefits, such as fertile soil, are worth the risk
- C. Because governments force them to stay
- D. Because the land is cheap and little else grows there
- 7
According to the passage, why do people continue to live near volcanoes despite the danger?
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Answer: B — Because the benefits, such as fertile soil, are worth the risk
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — Because the benefits, such as fertile soil, are worth the risk.
Evidence · Paragraph 1 “…a long-standing balance between danger and reward. For all the risk they carry, volcanoes also bring benefits”
Question 8: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. The glow of molten rock
- B. Fast-moving rivers of mud formed by rain on loose ash
- C. The smell of escaping gases
- D. The height of the mountain
- 8
Which of the following is described as one of the less direct dangers of a volcano?
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Answer: B — Fast-moving rivers of mud formed by rain on loose ash
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — Fast-moving rivers of mud formed by rain on loose ash.
Evidence · Paragraph 4 “Heavy rain falling on loose ash can create fast-moving rivers of mud that sweep away everything in their path”
Question 9: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. That the volcano is becoming extinct
- B. That an eruption may be approaching
- C. That the soil is losing its fertility
- D. That tourists should visit
- 9
What can a sudden increase in small earthquakes beneath a volcano indicate?
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Answer: B — That an eruption may be approaching
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — That an eruption may be approaching.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “…a sudden increase in their number can indicate that an eruption may be approaching.”
Question 10: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
- A. It can make the volcano erupt sooner
- B. The disruption may lead residents to ignore future warnings
- C. It damages the monitoring instruments
- D. It reduces the fertility of the soil
- 10
Why is ordering an evacuation too early or too often a problem?
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Answer: B — The disruption may lead residents to ignore future warnings
Why: This is the part of the passage that supports B — The disruption may lead residents to ignore future warnings.
Evidence · Paragraph 6 “…act too early or too often, and the disruption and expense may lead residents to ignore future warnings.”
Questions 11–13: Short Answer
Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- 11
What is the single greatest benefit that volcanoes bring to the land around them?(max 2 words)
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Answer: fertile soil (also accepted: soil)
Why: The answer “fertile soil” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 2 “The greatest of these benefits is fertile soil.”
- 12
What instruments record the small tremors caused by rising molten rock?(max 2 words)
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Answer: seismometers (also accepted: seismometer)
Why: The answer “seismometers” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 5 “Instruments called seismometers record these tremors”
- 13
Apart from generating electricity, what industry can volcanic landscapes support through their scenery and hot springs?(max 2 words)
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Answer: tourism
Why: The answer “tourism” is taken from this sentence — copy the word(s) exactly as they appear. It fits the 2-word limit.
Evidence · Paragraph 3 “Volcanic landscapes, with their dramatic peaks and hot springs, also attract visitors, so that tourism can become an important part of the local economy.”
Estimated band score for this test
Your raw score out of 13 scaled to the 40-question IELTS Reading (Academic) conversion table. This is the same estimate the practice page shows after you submit. A single passage is a small sample, so treat it as a guide.
| Correct answers | Estimated band |
|---|---|
| 13 / 13 | 9.0 |
| 12 / 13 | 8.5 |
| 11 / 13 | 7.5 |
| 10 / 13 | 7.0 |
| 9 / 13 | 6.5 |
| 8 / 13 | 6.0 |
| 7 / 13 | 5.5 |
| 5–6 / 13 | 5.0 |
| 4 / 13 | 4.0 |
| 3 / 13 | 3.5 |
| 2 / 13 | 3.0 |
| 1 / 13 | 2.0 |
| 0 / 13 | 0.0 |
Full-test score? Use the IELTS band calculator.
Tips for the question types in this test
True / False / Not Given
- Read the statement first and underline the key idea, especially any qualifiers like "all", "only", "never", "always", "more than" or dates and numbers.
- Because the questions follow the order of the passage, scan for the paragraph that deals with the same topic rather than re-reading everything.
Common trap: Confusing "False" with "Not Given": choose False only when the passage actively contradicts the statement; if the passage is silent, it is Not Given.
Full True / False / Not Given strategyMultiple Choice
- Read the question stem carefully before the options so you know exactly what is being asked.
- Because multiple-choice questions follow passage order, locate the relevant section and read it in full — the answer usually depends on more than one sentence.
Common trap: Distractors that use exact words from the passage but distort the meaning.
Full Multiple Choice strategyShort Answer
- Read the instructions and note the exact word limit; going over it means zero marks even if the meaning is right.
- Turn each question into a set of keywords and predict what kind of answer it needs (a person, a date, a place, a noun).
Common trap: Exceeding the word limit (writing four words when only three are allowed).
Full Short Answer strategyPractise “Living in the Shadow of Volcanoes” under exam conditions
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