READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 2.

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, in boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet.

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

Paragraphs

14 Paragraph A
15 Paragraph B
16 Paragraph C
17 Paragraph D
18 Paragraph E
19 Paragraph F
20 Paragraph G

A Study of Western Celebrity

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.

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.>> Form đăng kí giải đề thi thật IELTS 4 kĩ năng kèm bài giải bộ đề 100 đề PART 2 IELTS SPEAKING quý đang thi (update hàng tuần) từ IELTS TUTOR

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

A. Ancient times
B. Dark Ages
C. Renaissance
D. Modern era

1. A wide variety of people achieve a brief period of fame.
2. Stories are invented about celebrities' lives.
3. The fame of rulers is starting to diminish.

Questions 24-26

Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 24-26 on your answer sheet.

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.

1. Obsession

• Definition: A state of being excessively preoccupied with someone or something.
• Vietnamese: Sự ám ảnh.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “In our celebrity-obsessed culture...”
  (Trong văn hóa bị ám ảnh bởi người nổi tiếng của chúng ta...)

2. Deities

• Definition: Gods or goddesses.
• Vietnamese: Các vị thần.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “The celebrities of the ancient world were the powerful and awesome deities of Greece and Rome...”
  (Những người nổi tiếng trong thế giới cổ đại là các vị thần mạnh mẽ và đáng kính của Hy Lạp và La Mã...)

3. Immortals

• Definition: Beings who live forever; gods.
• Vietnamese: Những sinh vật bất tử.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...the citizens of these civilizations believed in a vast number of immortals who had a direct impact on their lives.”
  (Công dân của những nền văn minh này tin vào rất nhiều sinh vật bất tử có ảnh hưởng trực tiếp đến cuộc sống của họ.)

4. Scandals

• Definition: Events that shock or outrage the public due to immoral or improper behavior.
• Vietnamese: Những vụ bê bối.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...involved them in ancient celebrity scandals that thrilled and excited the common people.”
  (Khiến họ dính líu đến những vụ bê bối của người nổi tiếng cổ đại mà gây phấn khích và kích thích cho người dân thường.)

5. Gladiators

• Definition: Fighters in ancient Rome who engaged in combat for public entertainment.
• Vietnamese: Đấu sĩ.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “In the ancient Roman civilization, gladiators... were also revered by the common people...”
  (Trong nền văn minh La Mã cổ đại, các đấu sĩ... cũng được người dân thường tôn kính...)

6. Monarchs

• Definition: Kings or queens who rule a nation.
• Vietnamese: Vua hoặc nữ hoàng.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...monarchs and rulers continued to maintain celebrity status...”
  (...vua và các nhà cầm quyền tiếp tục duy trì vị thế người nổi tiếng...)

7. Renaissance

• Definition: The period in European history from the 14th to the 17th century characterized by a revival of art, literature, and learning.
• Vietnamese: Thời kỳ Phục Hưng.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “During the period 1300-1600 AD, or the Renaissance period as it is known...”
  (Trong khoảng thời gian 1300-1600 SCN, hay được biết đến là thời kỳ Phục Hưng...)

8. Carvings

• Definition: Objects or designs that are cut into a surface, often stone or wood.
• Vietnamese: Điêu khắc.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...greater appreciation for portraits, statues, and stone carvings.”
  (...sự đánh giá cao hơn đối với chân dung, tượng, và các tác phẩm điêu khắc bằng đá.)

9. Global reach

• Definition: The ability to influence people all over the world.
• Vietnamese: Tầm ảnh hưởng toàn cầu.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...the global reach of their fame was limited.”
  (...tầm ảnh hưởng toàn cầu của danh tiếng của họ bị hạn chế.)

10. Technological advances

• Definition: Developments or improvements in technology.
• Vietnamese: Những tiến bộ công nghệ.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “It was not until the 1700s, when technological advances made publishing commercially viable...”
  (Mãi cho đến những năm 1700, khi những tiến bộ công nghệ khiến việc xuất bản trở nên khả thi về mặt thương mại...)

11. Intimately

• Definition: In a close, personal, or detailed way.
• Vietnamese: Một cách thân mật, chi tiết.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...ordinary people the opportunity to become intimately knowledgeable about the figures they most admired.”
  (...người dân thường có cơ hội hiểu biết chi tiết về những nhân vật mà họ ngưỡng mộ nhất.)

12. Premier

• Definition: First in importance or position; leading.
• Vietnamese: Hàng đầu.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...only cemented the premier level of celebrity that film stars, athletes, and television actors were beginning to share.”
  (...chỉ củng cố mức độ nổi tiếng hàng đầu mà các ngôi sao điện ảnh, vận động viên, và diễn viên truyền hình bắt đầu có được.)

13. Cemented

• Definition: Strengthened or solidified.
• Vietnamese: Củng cố.

14. Emergence

• Definition: The process of coming into view or becoming prominent.
• Vietnamese: Sự xuất hiện, nổi lên.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “The emergence of reality television shows in the late 1990s allowed all kinds of people...”
  (Sự xuất hiện của các chương trình truyền hình thực tế vào cuối những năm 1990 đã cho phép mọi người thuộc mọi tầng lớp...)

15. Redefine

• Definition: To change the meaning or concept of something.
• Vietnamese: Định nghĩa lại.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...as the meaning of celebrity continues to evolve and redefine itself...”
  (...khi ý nghĩa của sự nổi tiếng tiếp tục phát triển và tự định nghĩa lại...)

16. Viable

• Definition: Capable of working successfully.
• Vietnamese: Khả thi.
• IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “...technological advances made publishing commercially viable.”
  (...những tiến bộ công nghệ khiến việc xuất bản trở nên khả thi về mặt thương mại.)

• X
• VI
• V
• IV
• IV
• VII
• III
• D
• A
• C
• newspapers
• appearance
• audience