Task 1 - Long reading

Read the following text and answer the 15 questions.

Paragraph 1

Being famous is quite a new thing, and certainly not what it used to be. Since the rise of music and films, celebrities have become household names. This is largely because people from all over the country, or even the world, can hear their voices and see their images. In the early 20th century, although there were stars like Rudolph Valentino or Greta Garbo, their private lives and their careers were mainly separate. However, those days of mysterious distant celebrity have gone. Now, celebrities’ professional lives and private lives are not so separate.

Paragraph 2

The rise of internet blogging sites, celebrity magazines and newspaper gossip pages mean that the public know every small detail about the private lives of celebrities. We can find out who they are dating, what they are eating and what gym they go to, and all kinds of everyday events. There are photographers permanently camped outside the houses of the most famous celebrities, ready to take a picture of any movements. Just look at the hundreds of celebrity gossip magazines in the press or the thousands of celebrity gossip websites and blogs; there are examples everywhere, and nobody knows how we should manage this situation.

Paragraph 3

But should celebrities have to put up with someone watching their every move from the moment they get up to the moment they go to bed? This is the subject of much debate. Many countries are looking at the current laws to protect the privacy of celebrities to see if they are strong enough in today’s world. Many celebrities have taken legal action against people or newspapers who they think have not respected their private lives. And things have perhaps become rather extreme, with phone hackings, where journalists listen to people’s private phone conversations, and wedding crashers. These are photographers who go to a celebrity wedding uninvited to take photos and sell them.

Paragraph 4

However, some people say that we should not only blame newspapers, magazines and photographers for this. Perhaps the celebrities themselves play a part in causing the problem. It is difficult to understand that we should feel sorry for celebrities who go out to get attention one minute and then ask for privacy the next. Photographers and reporters often say this is why their reporting of the private lives of celebrities is acceptable, and not immoral, as some people say.

Paragraph 5

Although a celebrity lifestyle may seem like a wonderful life, there is clearly a downside. Perhaps the negatives are now greater than the positives for today’s celebrities. We may be able to think of celebrities who manage to keep their private lives to themselves, like George Clooney or Natalie Portman. Very little is known about their private lives. But how much effort does this take? Do stars have to change their lives to keep their privacy? Perhaps when people pick up a celebrity magazine, they should remember that these celebrities are human, not just public property.