A Study of Western Celebrity Reading Answers

Mar 4, 2025

A Study of Western Celebrity Reading Answers is a generic topic for IELTS Reading Answers. A Study of Western Celebrity Reading Answers has 13 IELTS questions. In the first set of questions (from Questions No. 14-20), choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. After that, in the next set of questions (from Questions No. 21-23), match each statement with the correct historical period. Then, on the remaining questions (from Questions No. 24-26), answer the following blanks in ONE WORD only.

The IELTS Reading Section evaluates your ability to understand and interpret passages. This article provides IELTS Reading Practice Tests that replicate real exam conditions. Whether you're studying for academic or general training modules, working on these IELTS Reading questions will familiarize you with the overall test structure and increase your confidence for the real exam.

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Section 1 A Study of Western Celebrity Reading Answers

In our celebrity-obsessed culture, TV shows, Internet blogs, and even newspapers are often full of the latest news, gossip, and scandals about current celebrities.

A. It seems that our current society cannot get enough information about the daily lives of celebrities. But how did celebrities become so much an important force in our culture? While people have always shared a certain obsession for the fantastic and the famous, the notion of celebrity, as well as the types of people termed 'celebrities', has evolved greatly throughout the ages. The word 'celebrity has its roots in the language of the ancient Roman civilization. The word we now know to mean a condition of being famous' or 'a famous person' is derived from the Latin word 'celeber', meaning 'frequented or populous'.

B. The celebrities of the ancient world were the powerful and awesome deities of Greece and Rome, and the citizens of these civilizations believed in a vast number of immortals who had a direct impact on their lives. It was, therefore, important to know about these figures' personal lives. This need to know led to the creation of myths, which personalized the gods and involved them in ancient celebrity scandals that thrilled and excited the common people.

C. During ancient times, amateur and professional athletes also began to make an impact on the celebrity culture. Victors in the ancient Olympic Games were treated as heroes and were often elevated to god-like status. In the ancient Roman civilization, gladiators, the equivalent of today's professional athletes — were also revered by the common people for their heroics and seemingly superhuman strength.

D. As Europe moved into the Dark Ages (the years spanning approximately 400-1300 AD) and a time when athletics and the arts were largely forgotten, monarchs and rulers continued to maintain celebrity status, while religious figures took on newfound fame. The miraculous lives and fascinating deaths of spiritual figures lent excitement to the lives of common people when there was often little else to be excited about, as they faced war, disease, and food shortages.

E. During the period 1300-1600 AD, or the Renaissance period as it is known, interest in ruling figures faded. As Europe emerged from its long neglect of the arts, there was a greater appreciation for portraits, statues, and stone carvings. This period of appreciation for the arts lent a sense of celebrity to artists who were noted for their works and their achievements. It was a time when artists began to surpass political and religious individuals for supreme celebrity, a trend that would continue into later centuries.

F. While the figures of the ancient and early modern civilizations were able to achieve moderate and sometimes lasting celebrity within particular cultures, the global reach of their fame was limited. It was not until the 1700s, when technological advances made publishing commercially viable, that the extent of a person's fame could spread further. The increase in the availability of the written word was accompanied by a huge rise in the number of common people who could read, allowing a mass audience to find out about celebrities for the first time. Suddenly, the lives of authors, politicians, war heroes, and other celebrities could now be read about in newspapers around the world. These gave ordinary people the opportunity to become intimately knowledgeable about the figures they most admired.

G. In the modern are, particularly as radio and film took off in the 1900s, things began to change. First, radio began to make its way into the average home in the 1920s and 1930s. Professional athletes also began to be regarded as stars, as their games and exploits could be broadcast over the air to an entirely new audience. Then, the rise of television in the 1950s only cemented the premier level of celebrity that film stars, athletes, and television actors were beginning to share. This also meant a huge increase in the individual salaries of these celebrities. Even a few animals gained fame through children's TV shows. The emergence of reality television shows in the late 1990s allowed all kinds of people with little ability to enjoy a short burst of fame on the television screen. All you needed, it seemed, was an attractive appearance. Today, reality television programmers make it possible to be famous not for doing anything in particular, but simply for being, with the audience deciding whether someone deserves to become a celebrity or not. As the meaning of celebrity continues to evolve and redefine itself in a quickly changing world, there is no telling who will become of interest next.

Section 2

Solutions and Explanations

Questions 14-20

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i-x.

LIST OF HEADINGS

i. Why it is necessary to explain the meaning of the word celebrity

ii. The influence of non-human celebrities on societies

iii. The impact of broadcasting on concepts of celebrity

iv. Creativity having greater value

v. Admiration for physical achievement

vi. The advantages of celebrity status in the ancient world

vii. A result of hardship

viii. Literacy and widespread celebrity

ix. Attitudes of celebrities towards the media

x. The original definition of celebrity

14. Paragraph A

Answer: x (The original definition of celebrity)

Supporting statement: “........The word 'celebrity has its roots in the language of the ancient Roman civilization. The word we now know to mean a condition of being famous' or 'a famous person' is derived from the Latin word 'celeber', meaning 'frequented or populous'..........”

Keywords: Celebrity, Roots, Roman, Latin

Keyword Location: para 1, Line 5-8

Explanation: Paragraph A discusses the origins and development of the term “celebrity”, linking it to ancient Roman civilization. It explains how the term has changed over time.

15. Paragraph B

Answer: vi (The advantages of celebrity status in the ancient world)

Supporting statement: “........This need to know led to the creation of myths, which personalized the gods and involved them in ancient celebrity scandals that thrilled and excited the common people. ..........”

Keywords: Celebrity, Ancient, Myths, Gods

Keyword Location: para 2, Line 4-6

Explanation: Paragraph B describes how Greek and Roman gods were viewed as celebrities, with their personal lives shaping the myths that enthralled the people. This highlights the benefits of celebrity status in ancient times.

16. Paragraph C

Answer: v (Admiration for physical achievement)

Supporting statement: “........Victors in the ancient Olympic Games were treated as heroes and were often elevated to god-like status. In the ancient Roman civilization, gladiators, the equivalent of today's professional athletes — were also revered by the common people for their heroics and seemingly superhuman strength...........”

Keywords: Victors, Olympic, heroes, gladiators

Keyword Location: para 3, Line 2-6

Explanation: Paragraph C discusses the influence of athletes in antiquity, describing how Olympic winners and gladiators were revered for their physical abilities and valor, similar to modern professional athletes.

17. Paragraph D

Answer: vii (A result of hardship)

Supporting statement: “........The miraculous lives and fascinating deaths of spiritual figures lent excitement to the lives of common people when there was often little else to be excited about, as they faced war, disease, and food shortages...........”

Keywords: Lives, Deaths, People, Common

Keyword Location: para 4, Line 4-6

Explanation: Paragraph D discusses how, during the Dark Ages, religious figures gained celebrity status as people found excitement in their miraculous lives and deaths amid war, disease, and food shortages.

18. Paragraph E

Answer: iv (Creativity has greater value)

Supporting statement: “.........It was a time when artists began to surpass political and religious individuals for supreme celebrity, a trend that would continue into later centuries. ..........”

Keywords: Artists, Political, Religious, Celebrity

Keyword Location: para 5, Line 5-7

Explanation: Paragraph E discusses how artists achieved celebrity status during the Renaissance due to their creative achievements and contributions to the arts, surpassing political and religious figures in fame.

19. Paragraph F

Answer: viii (Literacy and widespread celebrity)

Supporting statement: “.........It was not until the 1700s, when technological advances made publishing commercially viable, that the extent of a person's fame could spread further...........”

Keywords: Technological, Advances, Fame, Extent

Keyword Location: para 6, Line 3-5

Explanation: Paragraph F discusses how technological advances in publishing and increasing literacy allowed celebrities' fame to spread widely. This made it possible for the public to know about famous personalities.

20. Paragraph G

Answer: iii (The impact of broadcasting on concepts of celebrity)

Supporting statement: “.........First, radio began to make its way into the average home in the 1920s and 1930s. Professional athletes also began to be regarded as stars, as their games and exploits could be broadcast over the air to an entirely new audience...........”

Keywords: Radio, Home, Athletes, Stars

Keyword Location: para 7, Line 2-4

Explanation: Paragraph G discusses how radio, film, and television changed celebrity culture, making athletes, actors, and even reality TV participants famous. The broadcast greatly expanded the reach and influence of celebrities.

Questions 21-23

Look at the following statements and the list of historical periods in Europe below. Match each statement with the correct historical period, A, B, C, or D.

LIST OF HISTORICAL PERIODS IN EUROPE

A. Ancient times

C. Renaissance

B. Dark Ages

D. Modern era

21. A wide variety of people achieve a brief period of fame.

Answer: D (Modern era)

Supporting statement: “.........The emergence of reality television shows in the late 1990s allowed all kinds of people with little ability to enjoy a short burst of fame on the television screen.........”

Keywords: Reality, Television, Enjoy, Fame

Keyword Location: para 7, Line 9-10

Explanation: In the modern era, reality TV and mass media allow many individuals, regardless of talent, to achieve short-term fame. Celebrities are now often chosen based on public interest rather than achievement.

22. Stories are invented about celebrities' lives.

Answer: A (Ancient times)

Supporting statement: “.........This need to know led to the creation of myths, which personalized the gods and involved them in ancient celebrity scandals that thrilled and excited the common people. .........”

Keywords: Creation, Scandals, Gods, Common

Keyword Location: para 2, Line 4-6

Explanation: In ancient times, myths about gods were created, personalized, and incorporated into celebrity scandals to entertain people. These stories were invented to make the gods more relatable.

23. The fame of rulers is starting to diminish.

Answer: C (Renaissance)

Supporting statement: “.........During the period 1300-1600 AD, or the Renaissance period as it is known, interest in ruling figures faded. As Europe emerged from its long neglect of the arts, there was a greater appreciation for portraits, statues, and stone carvings.........”

Keywords: Renaissance, Interest, Europe, Arts

Keyword Location: para 5, Line 1-3

Explanation: During the Renaissance, interest in the countryside waned as artists and their works became increasingly appreciated, becoming a new form of celebrity.

Questions 24-26

Choose ONE WORD ONLY

CELEBRITIES ACHIEVE A GLOBAL STATUS

24. A growing number of people could read, which meant they had the chance to become informed about their favorite figures by reading ____________

Answer: Newspapers

Supporting statement: “.........Suddenly, the lives of authors, politicians, war heroes, and other celebrities could now be read about in newspapers around the world. These gave ordinary people the opportunity to become intimately knowledgeable about the figures they most admired..........”

Keywords: Authors, War, Newspapers, World

Keyword Location: para 6, Line 8-11

Explanation: A growing number of people can read, enabling them to stay informed about celebrities through newspapers.

25. The recent rise of reality television has also meant that a person's _________ rather than their talent can bring fame

Answer: Appearance

Keywords: Appearance, Emergence, Reality, Fame

Keyword Location: para 7, Line 9-11

Explanation: The passage states that reality television allows people to become famous “not for doing anything in particular, but simply for being”, with “attractive appearance” being an important factor in their fame.

26. With this type of television program, fame may entirely depend on the response of the __________.

Answer: Audience

Supporting statement: “.........Today, reality television programmers make it possible to be famous not for doing anything in particular, but simply for being, with the audience deciding whether someone deserves to become a celebrity or not...........”

Keywords: Programmers, Television, Famous, Audience

Keyword Location: para 7, Line 11-14

Explanation: Reality television allows individuals without any special skills or talents to become famous based solely on how viewers view them. Their popularity depends entirely on audience reactions.

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