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The Body Shop Reading Answers

Bhaskar Das

Jul 28, 2025

The Body Shop Reading Answers contain 6 questions and belong to the assessment system of the IELTS General Reading test. The Body Shop Reading Answers must be answered within 20 minutes. In this IELTS reading section, question types include: Choose the correct letter. Also, The Body Shop Reading Answers offers a comprehensive overview of The Body Shop, founded by Anita Roddick in 1976, grew rapidly as an ethical cosmetics brand promoting social causes and cruelty-free products, later becoming part of L’Oréal. To practice similar reading tests, candidates can refer to the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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Topic:

The Body Shop International PLC, known as The Body Shop, has a range consisting of 1,200 products, including cosmetics and make-up in its 2,500 franchised stores in 61 countries. The company, which has its international headquarters in Littlehampton, West Sussex, England, was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and is now part owned by parent company L’Oréal corporate group.

In 1970 Anita visited “The Body Shop” in California. It was part of a car repair shop and they sold naturally-scented soaps and lotions. In 1976, Anita opened a similar shop in the UK, using the same business name. From its first launch in the UK in 1976, The Body Shop experienced rapid growth, expanding at a rate of 50 percent annually.

The opening of Roddick’s first modest shop received early attention when the Brighton newspaper, The Evening Argus, carried an article about an undertaker with a nearby store who complained about the use of the name “The Body Shop.” In March 2005, The Body Shop agreed to a £652.3 million takeover by L’Oréal. It was reported that Anita and Gordon Roddick, who set up The Body Shop 30 years previously, made £130 million from the sale.

The Body Shop turned increasingly toward social and environmental campaigns to promote its business in the late 1980s. In 1997, Roddick launched a global campaign to raise self-esteem in women and against the media stereotyping of women. It focused on unreasonably skinny models in the context of rising numbers suffering from bulimia and anorexia.

Following her death in 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to Dame Anita, calling her “one of the country’s true pioneers” and an “inspiration” to businesswomen. He said: “She campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable to do so and inspired millions to the cause by bringing sustainable products to a mass market. She will be remembered not only as a great campaigner but also as a great entrepreneur.” In October 2009, The Body Shop was awarded a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the RSPCA in Britain, in recognition of its uncompromised policy which ensures ingredients are not tested on animals by its suppliers.

Questions 22-27

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

22. Who owns the company now?

A. Anita Roddick and her parents.

B. Body Shop and L'Oréal.

C. L'Oréal.

Answer: C. L'Oréal

Supporting statement: "In March 2005, The Body Shop agreed to a £652.3 million takeover by L’Oréal."

Keywords: takeover, L'Oréal

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 1

Explanation: The Body Shop is now part owned by L'Oréal, which took over the company in 2005, indicating their current ownership.

23. How did Anita Roddick decide on the name

"The Body Shop"?

A. The name came to her in a dream.

B. She copied the name from an undertaker.

C. She took the name from a store in America.

Answer: C. She took the name from a store in America.

Supporting statement: "In 1970 Anita visited 'The Body Shop' in California... In 1976, Anita opened a similar shop in the UK, using the same business name."

Keywords: same business name, California

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 1–2

Explanation: Anita Roddick adopted the name from a shop she encountered in California, replicating the name and concept in the UK.

24. What happened three decades after launching "The Body Shop"?

A. They retired.

B. They bought L'Oréal.

C. They accepted a takeover bid by L'Oréal.

Answer: C. They accepted a takeover bid by L'Oréal.

Supporting statement: "...made £130 million from the sale" and "...agreed to a £652.3 million takeover by L’Oréal."

Keywords: 30 years, takeover

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 3

Explanation: Approximately 30 years after founding the company, Anita and Gordon Roddick sold it to L’Oréal.

25. How did "The Body Shop" promote itself?

A. by stereotyping women

B. socially

C. through environmental and social issues

Answer: C. through environmental and social issues

Supporting statement: "The Body Shop turned increasingly toward social and environmental campaigns to promote its business in the late 1980s."

Keywords: social, environmental, campaigns

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 1

Explanation: The brand promoted itself by aligning with causes like women’s empowerment and green policies, not via traditional advertising.

26. What did Anita do about very skinny models?

A. She gave them some food.

B. She tried to empower women around the world.

C. They started to work for her.

Answer: B. She tried to empower women around the world.

Supporting statement: "In 1997, Roddick launched a global campaign to raise self-esteem in women and against the media stereotyping of women."

Keywords: self-esteem, women, stereotyping

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 2

Explanation: Anita’s campaign aimed at countering the influence of skinny models by promoting body positivity and women’s self-esteem.

27. What did Gordon Brown say about Anita Roddick?

A. She was a pioneer for environmental issues.

B. She was very fashionable.

C. She made the mass market sustainable.

Answer: A. She was a pioneer for environmental issues.

Supporting statement: “She campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable…”

Keywords: green issues, true pioneer

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Line 2

Explanation: Gordon Brown praised Anita for her early and lasting commitment to environmental causes, calling her a pioneer.

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