IELTS Reading Practice: A Study of Western Celebrity (Full Answer Key)

In a world obsessed with fame, the topic of “Celebrity Culture” is a familiar theme in the IELTS Reading test. The passage A Study of Western Celebrity takes us on a historical journey, exploring how the concept of a “celebrity” has evolved through the ages.

Join the ECE language center as we break down this passage in detail to master question-handling techniques and equip yourself with the most valuable vocabulary!

Reading Passage: A Study of Western Celebrity

Paragraph A

It seems that our current society cannot get enough information about the daily lives of celebrities. But how did celebrities become such 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.

Paragraph 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.

Paragraph 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.

Paragraph 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.

Paragraph 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 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 personal 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.

Paragraph 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.

Paragraph G

In the modern era, particularly as radio and film took off in the 1900s, things really 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 for 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 programmes 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.

Questions 21 – 23

Look at the following statements (Questions 21 – 23) and the list of historical periods in Europe below.

Match each statement with the correct historical period, A, B, C, or D. Write the correct letter, A, B, C, or D, in boxes 21-23 on your answer sheet.

List of Historical Periods in Europe

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

22. Stories are invented about celebrities’ lives.

23. The fame of rulers is starting to diminish.

A. Ancient times

B. Dark Ages

C. Renaissance

D. Modern era

Questions 24 – 26

Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Celebrities Achieve a Global Status

The development of the publishing industry in the 1700s signalled the beginning of international fame. A growing number of people could read, which meant they had the chance to become informed about their favourite figures by reading 24………………………. This exposure to celebrities expanded further when radio and television became popular, and it was mass media attention that resulted in higher status and fame for some celebrities. The recent rise of reality television has also meant that a person’s 25………………………. rather than their talent can bring fame. With this type of television programme, fame may be entirely dependent on the response of the 26………………………. .

Summary of the Reading Passage

This passage examines the evolution of the concept of “celebrity” throughout Western history.

• Ancient times: “Celebrities” were the deities of Greece and Rome. Myths were created to satisfy public curiosity. Olympic athletes and gladiators were also revered as heroes.
• Dark Ages: Fame was concentrated on monarchs and, notably, religious figures.
• Renaissance: Interest in ruling figures declined. Instead, artists became the leading celebrities due to their exceptional works.
• 1700s: Advances in printing and publishing allowed fame to spread globally via newspapers for the first time.
• Modern era: The explosion of radio, film, and television created stars with immense fame and wealth. Most recently, reality TV has allowed ordinary people—sometimes based solely on their appearance—to achieve fleeting fame, determined by the audience.

Key Vocabulary for High Scores

Answer Key and Detailed Explanations

Questions 21 – 23: Matching Historical Periods

• 21. → D (Modern era)

Evidence (Paragraph G): “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.”

Explanation: “A wide variety of people” corresponds to “all kinds of people,” and “a brief period of fame” corresponds to “a short burst of fame.” This is a feature of the modern era.

• 22. → A (Ancient times)

Evidence (Paragraph B): “This need to know led to the creation of myths, which personalized the gods and involved them in ancient celebrity scandals…”

Explanation: “Myths” are essentially “stories that are invented.” This occurred in ancient times when deities were the primary celebrities.

• 23. → C (Renaissance)

Evidence (Paragraph E): “During the period 1300-1600 AD, or the Renaissance period… interest in ruling figures faded.”

Explanation: “The fame of rulers is starting to diminish” matches exactly with “interest in ruling figures faded.”

Questions 24-26: Summary Completion

• 24. → newspapers

Evidence (Paragraph F): “…the lives of authors, politicians, war heroes, and other celebrities could now be read about in newspapers around the world.”

Explanation: The text explicitly states that the public could read about celebrities through newspapers.

• 25. → appearance

Evidence (Paragraph G): “All you needed, it seemed, was an attractive appearance.”

Explanation: The text points out that with reality TV, one’s appearance can bring fame instead of talent.

• 26. → audience

Evidence (Paragraph G): “…with the audience deciding whether someone deserves to become a celebrity or not.”

Explanation: The text confirms that in reality TV shows, the audience decides who becomes famous.

Conclusion

The passage “A Study of Western Celebrity” offers an intriguing perspective on societal shifts through the lens of “celebrity.” Understanding this historical flow not only helps you answer questions accurately but also provides a useful knowledge base for other skills like Writing and Speaking. ECE wishes you effective study sessions and great success in your IELTS exam!