Rust forms when iron, oxygen, and water meet at the same time, which is why keeping any one of the three away stops the reaction. Paint and oil keep water and oxygen off the metal surface. Galvanizing coats steel in zinc, a metal that corrodes in preference to the iron beneath it, so the zinc sacrifices itself first. In dry climates, iron can sit exposed for decades with barely a mark, which surprises people who assume rust is simply what old metal does. It is not age that causes rust. It is the presence of water.
It can be inferred from the passage that an iron tool stored in a dry desert shed would
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Correct answer to question 65 (Paragraph Comprehension): resist rusting for a long time
Method
The passage states iron can sit exposed for decades in dry climates with barely a mark, so a dry desert shed, lacking the water rust needs, would slow corrosion.
Updated: November 2026
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