A Study of Western Celebrity
Read A Study of Western Celebrity and check the IELTS Reading answers. 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 wit…
Passage preview
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 with 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'.
Vocabulary from this passage
6 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- cement verb
To settle, establish, or strengthen an idea, relationship, or position firmly over time
Hosting international summits helped the newly independent nation cement its diplomatic standing.
- commercially viable adjective
Capable of generating enough profit to survive or succeed in a business market
High production costs prevent laboratory-grown meat from becoming commercially viable for ordinary supermarkets.
- global reach noun
The capacity of an organization, media network, or idea to influence people worldwide
Multinational tech corporations have achieved a global reach that challenges the regulatory authority of governments.
- intimately knowledgeable adjective
Possessing a very deep, thorough, and detailed understanding of a specific subject
Experienced wildlife rangers are intimately knowledgeable about the seasonal migration patterns of endangered herds.
- revere verb
To feel or show deep respect, admiration, and awe toward someone or something
Indigenous communities often revere ancient forests as sacred places that must be protected.
- surpass verb
To become greater, better, or more significant than someone or something else
Solar power generation is projected to surpass fossil fuels in total national electricity output.
Answers with explanations
- 14. x
Paragraph A focuses on the etymological origins of the concept. The author traces the noun back to the **ancient Roman civilization**, explaining how the term originated from the **Latin word 'celeber'** and detailing what it meant initially. This directly corresponds to the idea of an **original definition**. The competing heading regarding why an explanation is necessary is a distractor because the paragraph provides the etymological root itself rather than justifying the pedagogical need to explain it.
- 15. ii
Paragraph B discusses how ancient people revered mythological deities. The author designates these figures as the **celebrities of the ancient world**, identifying them as **powerful and awesome deities** and **immortals**. These divine beings represent non-human figures whose perceived actions had a **direct impact on their lives**, prompting the creation of myths and public gossip. The option concerning non-human celebrities best captures this central theme, whereas distractors focusing on ancient advantages miss the divine subject matter entirely.
- 16. v
Paragraph C examines ancient athletes, focusing on victors in the **ancient Olympic Games** and Roman **gladiators**. The text emphasizes that these competitors were celebrated as heroes and revered specifically for their **heroics and seemingly superhuman strength**. These qualities represent physical prowess and sporting accomplishment. The heading emphasizing physical achievement summarizes the entire paragraph, beating competing options about ancient advantages which fail to address the core focus on athletic and combat feats.
- 17. vii
Paragraph D explores celebrity during the Dark Ages, when the public turned toward religious figures. The writer explains that the miraculous stories of saints provided excitement because ordinary people faced constant misery, explicitly cataloguing **war, disease and food shortages**. This public appetite for spiritual celebrities arose as a direct consequence of severe daily suffering. The heading identifying fame as an outcome of suffering captures the main message, while distracting headings regarding media attitudes are entirely irrelevant.
- 18. iv
Paragraph E covers the Renaissance, detailing a shift away from political and religious figures toward artistic culture. The text highlights a growing **appreciation for the arts**, which propelled painters and sculptors to supreme fame. Crucially, the passage states that creative figures began to **surpass political and religious individuals** in public esteem, demonstrating that artistic talent gained superior social importance. This makes the heading regarding the elevated value of creative talent the most precise match for the whole paragraph.
- 19. viii
Paragraph F describes how fame transcended local boundaries during the 1700s. The author links commercial printing advances with a **huge rise** in the number of **people who could read**, which enabled a **mass audience** to consume news about famous figures globally. The twin pillars of the paragraph are the expansion of reading ability and the resultant spread of fame across nations. The heading linking reading ability with broad celebrity perfectly encapsulates this cause-and-effect relationship.
- 20. iii
Paragraph G traces 20th-century media, specifically highlighting how **radio** and the **rise of television** transformed the landscape. The author demonstrates that transmission over the airwaves enabled ordinary individuals and reality participants to attain rapid fame, fundamentally reshaping how society defines a star. The main idea centers on electronic media reshaping notions of fame. The heading emphasizing media transmission and altered perspectives accurately reflects this progression, superior to narrow distractors focusing merely on non-human stars.
- 21. D
The statement describes broad demographics gaining fleeting celebrity. Scanning Paragraph G under the modern period reveals the impact of reality programming. The author notes that late-1990s television enabled **all kinds of people** to experience a **short burst of fame**. The phrase **all kinds of people** paraphrases a wide variety, while **short burst of fame** directly corresponds to a brief period. This phenomenon is explicitly located within the modern period, confirming the correct classification is the modern era.
- 22. A
The statement refers to the fabrication of narratives surrounding prominent figures. In Paragraph B, which deals with antiquity, the author describes how citizens' curiosity about Roman and Greek deities spurred the **creation of myths**. These fabricated tales **personalized the gods** and embroiled them in scandalous narratives to entertain the public. Fabricating myths is synonymous with inventing stories about celebrated figures. Because this practice is linked directly to Greek and Roman civilization, the statement matches the ancient period.
- 23. C
The statement highlights a decline in the prominence of political leaders. Scanning Paragraph E for the Renaissance period (1300–1600 AD) reveals that **interest in ruling figures faded** as public admiration shifted toward visual artists. The verb **faded** matches the concept of diminishing fame, while **ruling figures** directly corresponds to monarchs and rulers. Because this decline in royal renown is explicitly situated during the European artistic revival, the statement corresponds correctly to the Renaissance period.
- 24. newspapers
The summary sentence requires a **plural noun** identifying the reading material through which ordinary people followed famous figures in the 1700s. Scanning Paragraph F for the development of publishing reveals that ordinary citizens could learn about notable figures by reading about them in **newspapers around the world**. The noun **newspapers** fits the prepositional gap grammatically, accurately conveys how information was consumed, and complies strictly with the instruction to use ONE WORD ONLY lifted directly from the text.
- 25. appearance
The gap requires a **singular noun** denoting an individual attribute contrasted with talent. Scanning Paragraph G for mentions of reality television reveals that participants often possess **little ability** but gain renown regardless. The author observes that achieving this requires only an **attractive appearance**. The word **appearance** contrasts directly with talent or ability, fitting the sentence structure after the possessive noun. The single lifted word **appearance** is grammatically seamless and satisfies the ONE WORD ONLY restriction.
- 26. audience
The gap requires a **singular or collective noun** identifying the group that determines modern fame. Scanning the concluding sentences of Paragraph G locates the discussion of contemporary reality television, where individuals become famous **simply for being**. The author specifies that this outcome occurs with the **audience deciding** who deserves celebrity status. The collective noun **audience** correctly fills the gap to complete the prepositional phrase and adheres strictly to the ONE WORD ONLY word limit.