The Olympic Games (1)
The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 777 BC in Greece and took place every four years for nearly twelve centuries at Olympia. They included many different kinds of sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All the cities in Greece sent their best athletes to Olympia to compete in the Games.
For the period of the Games all the wars stopped. So the Olympic Games became the symbol of peace and friendship. In 394 AD the Games were abolished and were not renewed until many centuries later.
In 1894 French Baron Pierre de Coubertin, addressed all the sports governing bodies and pointed out the significance of sport and its educational value.
Two years later the first modern Olympic Games took place. Of course, the competitions were held in Greece to symbolize the continuation of the centuries-old tradition.
In 1896 the International Olympic Committee was set up. It is the central policy-making body of the Olympic movement. It is formed by the representatives of all countries, which take part in the Olympic Games.
Summer and Winter Games are held separately.
Olympic Games (1)
The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 777 BC in Greece and were held every four years for approximately twelve centuries at Olympia. They included different types sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All cities of Greece sent their best athletes to Olympia to compete in the games.
During the games, all wars stopped.
Thus, the Olympic Games have become a symbol of peace and friendship. In 394 AD the games were canceled and were not resumed for many centuries.
In 1894, the Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, addressed all governing sports bodies and pointed out the importance of sport and its educational value.
Two years later the first modern Olympic Games were held. Of course, the competition was held in Greece to symbolize the continuation of an age-old tradition. In 1896 the International. This is the main body determining the policy of the Olympic Movement. It includes representatives of all countries taking part in the Olympic Games.
Summer and winter Games are carried out separately.
Questions:
1. When and where did the Olympic Games begin?
2. Why did the Olympic Games become the symbol of peace and friendship?
3. When did the Games in Greece stop?
4. Who renewed the Olympic movement?
5. When and where did the first modern Games take place?
6. When was the International Olympic Committee set up? What is its function?
7. Are Summer and Winter Games held separately?
8. Where were the latest Olympic Games held?
Vocabulary:
BC = Before Christ - before the Nativity of Christ, i.e. BC. e.
wrestling - wrestling
to compete - compete
AD = Anno Domini - in the year of the Lord, i.e. AD. e.
to abolish - to cancel, abolish
to hold - to hold
to set up - organize, create
separately - separately
Level C. Classic essay
The Importance of the Olympic Games
People have been thinking about their health since the time immemorial. The main way to keep fit is going in for sports. That is why the Olympic Games, which have a long history, were organized. And this year, Russia is honored to host the winter Olympic Games. So how will they affect us and our country?In my opinion, these Games will play a very important role in the history of the Russian Federation. First of all, we can show our hospitality, our traditions and our culture to people all over the world. I know that foreigners have some stereotypes about Russia, so these Games can break them. Secondly, it will be a great opportunity for our people to communicate and make more friends among guests from different countries. That will make our international relationships stronger.
But some people claim that holding Olympic Games is not a very good idea, because the country has to invest really a great deal of money to organize the ceremonies, build stadiums, hotels and Olympic Games objects and equipment for stadiums and athletic halls.
I strongly disagree with this opinion. I believe the more you give, the better results you will have. So this money will be worth it.
In conclusion, I would like to say that Russia is famous for its hospitality and “a wide soul”. I believe that this event will help us become one big family, enjoy all this time and support our country in these important competitions.
People have begun to think about their health since time immemorial. The main way to stay in shape is to play sports. Therefore, the Olympic Games were organized, which have their own long story. This year, Russia is honored to host the Winter Olympic Games. So how will this affect us and our country?
In my opinion, these games will play a huge role in history Russian Federation. First of all, we will be able to show our hospitality, our traditions and our culture to people from all over the world. I know that foreigners have some stereotypes about our country, so this event will help break them down. Secondly, it will great opportunity for our people to communicate with people from different countries and make friends among foreigners. This will help our international relations become stronger.
But some people think that holding the Olympic Games is not a good idea, since the government should invest a huge amount of money into the organization. In the construction of stadiums, hotels and various Olympic venues and equipment for stadiums and arenas.
In conclusion, I would like to say that Russia is known for its hospitality and “broad soul”. I believe that this event will help us become one, enjoy this time and support our team in this difficult competition.
| 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Events | [tuː ˈθaʊzn̩d ˌfɔːˈtiːn əˈlɪmpɪk ənd ˌperəˈlɪmpɪk ˈwɪntə ɡeɪmz ɪˈvents ] | |
| Olympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi | [ əˈlɪmpɪk ˈwɪntə ɡeɪmz əv tuː ˈθaʊzn̩d ˌfɔːˈtiːn ɪn ˈsotʃi ] | 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi |
| winter olympic sports | [ ˈwɪntər əˈlɪmpɪk spɔːts ] | |
| alpine skiing | [ˈælpaɪn ˈskiːɪŋ] | skiing/ skiing |
| biathlon | [baɪ"æθlən] | biathlon |
| bobsleigh (BrE) / bobsled (AmE) | [ˈbɒbsleɪ] [ˈbɒbsled] | bobsled |
| cross-country skiing | [krɒs ˈkʌntri ˈskiːɪŋ] | ski race |
| curling | [ˈkɜːlɪŋ] | curling |
| figure skating | [ˈfɪɡə [ˈskeɪtɪŋ] | figure skating(on skates) |
| freestyle (skiing) | [ˈfriːstaɪl] [ˈskiːɪŋ] | (ski) freestyle |
| ice hockey | [aɪs ˈhɒki] | |
| luge | [luːʒ] | luge |
| nordic combined | [ˈnɔːdɪk kəmˈbaɪnd] | Nordic combined |
| short track (speed skating) | [ʃɔːt træk] [spiːd ˈskeɪtɪŋ] | short track |
| skeleton | [ˈskelɪtn̩] | skeleton |
| ski jumping | [skiː ˈdʒʌmpɪŋ] | Ski jumping |
| snowboarding | ["snəubɔːdɪŋ] | snowboarding |
| (long track) speed skating | [ˈlɒŋ træk] [spiːd ˈskeɪtɪŋ] | speed skating (speed skating) |
| Olympic vocabulary | [əˈlɪmpɪk vəˈkæbjʊləri] | |
| amateur | [ˈæmətə] | amateur |
| anthem | [ˈænθəm] | hymn |
| banned | [bænd] | prohibited |
| broadcaster | [ˈbrɔːdkɑːstə] | presenter/commentator |
| compete | [kəmˈpiːt] | compete |
| contestant | [kənˈtestənt] | competitor |
| controversy | [ˈkɒntrəvɜːsi] | disagreement |
| doping | [ˈdəʊpɪŋ] | doping |
| facilities | [fəˈsɪlɪtɪz] | (sports) facilities |
| fanfare | [ˈfænfeə] | fanfare |
| host | [həʊst] | host country of the Olympics |
| humanity | [hjuːˈmænɪti] | humanity |
| mascot | [ˈmæskət] | mascot |
| medal | [ˈmedl] | medal |
| motto | [ˈmɒtəʊ] | motto |
| nationality | [ˌnæʃəˈnælɪti] | citizenship |
| oath | [ əʊθ ] | oath |
| participant | [pɑːˈtɪsɪpənt] | participant |
| partisanship | [ˌpɑːtɪˈzænʃɪp] | unfair refereeing (usually for political reasons) |
| postpone | [ˌpəust"pəun] | postpone (start of competition) |
| preliminaries | [prɪˈlɪmɪnərɪz] | preliminary competitions |
| purity | [ˈpjʊərɪti] | purity |
| qualify | [ˈkwɒlɪfaɪ] | qualify for compliance minimum requirements |
| representative | [ˌreprɪˈzentətɪv] | representative |
| security | [sɪˈkjʊərɪti] | security guard |
| spectator | [spekˈteɪtə] | viewer |
| sponsor | [ˈspɒnsə] | sponsor |
| press | [ˈspəʊksmən] | a person (often an athlete) representing a company in the market or in the media |
| sportsmanship | [ˈspɔːtsmənʃɪp] | sports spirit of honesty and justice |
| stamina | [ˈstæmɪnə] | endurance |
| standings | [ˈstændɪŋz] | position in standings |
| substitute | [ˈsʌbstɪtjuːt] | substitute player |
| swifter | [ˈswɪftə] | faster |
| symbol | [ˈsɪmbl̩] | symbol |
| torch | [tɔːtʃ] | torch |
| venue | [ˈvenjuː] | venue for the games, ( playground and so on.) |
| victory | [ˈvɪktəri] | victory |
Summer Olympic Games (Text)
By Kenneth Beare
The Summer Olympic Games will be held in London, England beginning July 17, 2012. Competitors from around the world will compete for the gold, silver or bronze medals. For some athletes, winning is not a real possibility. However, they will strive to set personal and/or national bests in their events. Of course, many world records will also be broken during these games. The intensely competitive nature of the games, the strong national pride involved and the challenge in facing the best athletes from around the world combine to demand the top performances from each individual.
In a world where soccer (football), basketball, golf and tennis dominate television broadcasts, the Summer Olympic Games provide a chance to observe sports not usually covered. When was the last time you watched water polo, or fencing? Chances are you watched them during the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Greece. In this age when many people are fortunate enough to have cable TV connections, spectators can watch a wide variety of athletic competitions.
Athletics and wrestling are probably the oldest sports in the Olympic Games. The tradition of these sports goes back to the original games held in ancient Greece over 2500 years ago. Some of my favorite events include the javelin throw, the high jump and the pole vault, as well as the hurdles. There will also be a wide variety of water sports that include canoeing, sailing and diving. Naturally, swimming is probably the most popular water sport with a wide variety of competitive events including backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle and more.
The summer games also include a number of events that have recently been introduced to the games. Kayaking and mountain biking, baseball and beach volleyball are just a few. I certainly haven"t mentioned all the sports - who would want to miss gymnastics - but you get the idea. Turn on your TV, relax and enjoy a moment of peace and togetherness in this struggling world of ours. The Summer Olympic Games provides an example that we all should follow: competition with respect.
The Olympic Games are a major international event and they house different competitions in summer and winter sports.
And now a little bit of the history of the Olympics. The Olympic Games began more than two thousand years ago. Since then they are still the grounds of competition for the worlds greatest athletes. At the very beginning the Olympic games used to be a competition for the citizens of ancient Greece and of other nearby countries. And now they have developed into a worldwide, commercially oriented event.
The early Olympic Games started in 776 B.C in ancient Greece. Greek people found those games so important that they used periods in between the Games to date important historical events. The winner of the Games got very good prizes - free food and housing for life. Poets mentioned the winners in their poems, architects made sculptures of winning athletes, and they became popular throughout Greece. So, winning the Olympic Games made you a national hero. It was already an honor to take part in the Games. People from Italy, Sicily, Asia, Africa, and Spain all made the long way to Olympia. And all the famous people of the time attended the Games. Olympia was chosen as a sight of the Games because it was seen as a neutral area. It was also a beautiful green valley accessed by two rivers. The Olympia was also the place where the wild olive tree grew. And the Crown Olive became the only prize won at Olympia. One Persian leader who fought against Greece noticed that Greek people loved fighting not for gold and money but purely for the sake of excelling. Originally there was only one race. It was a sprint and the winners got a prize - an olive wreath. Time went on and other races and other sports were added like boxing and wrestling.
In 1894 Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee. In the 20th century Winter Olympic Games were created for ice and snow sports. The Olympic Games are now held every 2 years Winter Olympic Games coming after Summer Olympic Games. Then the Paralympic Games were added for people with physical disabilities and Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes. The growing importance of the Mass Media made the Olympic Games commercial.
There are over 13,000 athletes that compete at Summer and Winter Olympics in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events. The first, second and third place winners in each event receive gold, silver or bronze Olympic medals, respectively.
The Games now give the chance to different sportsmen to get national or even international fame. And the Games also give an opportunity for the host city and country to show themselves to the world.
Translation of some words:
The Olympic Games, the Olympics- Olympic Games, a competition- competition, a major international event- one of the main international events, an athlete- athlete, ancient Greece- Ancient Greece, worldwide- Worldwide, to date historical events- date a historical event, a winner- winner, a sculpture- sculpture, a national hero- national hero, honor- glory, Olympia- Olympia (city in Ancient Greece, venue of the Olympic Games), a sight of the Games- place of games, wild olive tree- wild olive tree, for the sake of excelling- for the sake of superiority, victory, a sprint- short distance running, sprinting, an olive wreath- olive crown, Pierre de Coubertin- Pierre de Coubertin, the International Olympic Committee- International Olympic Committee, Winter Olympic Games- Winter Olympic Games, Summer Olympic Games- Summer Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games- Paralympic Games (international sports competition disabled athletes), people with physical disabilities- people with disabilities, to give the chance- give a chance, international fame- international fame.
The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 777 BC in Greece and took place every four years for nearly twelve centuries at Olympia. They included many different kinds of sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All the cities in Greece sent their best athletes to Olympia to compete in the Games.
For the period of the Games all the wars stopped. So the Olympic Games became the symbol of peace and friendship. In 394 AD the Games were abolished and were not renewed until many centuries later.
In 1894 French Baron Pierre de Coubertin, addressed all the sports governing bodies and pointed out the significance of sport and its educational value.
Two years later the first modern Olympic Games took place. Of course, the competitions were held in Greece to symbolize the continuation of the centuries-old tradition.
In 1896 the International Olympic Committee was set up. It is the central policy-making body of the Olympic movement. It is formed by the representatives of all countries, which take part in the Olympic Games.
Summer and Winter Games are held separately.
Topic translation: Olympic Games (1)
The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 777 BC in Greece and were held every four years for approximately twelve centuries at Olympia. They included different sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All cities of Greece sent their best athletes to Olympia to compete in the games.
During the games, all wars stopped. Thus, the Olympic Games have become a symbol of peace and friendship. In 394 AD the games were canceled and were not resumed for many centuries.
In 1894, the Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, addressed all governing sports bodies and pointed out the importance of sport and its educational value.
Two years later the first modern Olympic Games were held. Of course, the competition was held in Greece to symbolize the continuation of an age-old tradition.
In 1896, the International Olympic Committee was created. This is the main body determining the policy of the Olympic Movement. It includes representatives of all countries taking part in the Olympic Games.
Summer and winter games are held separately.