Olympic Games (Cambridge Connection English)
Warm-up
Work in pairs. Look ta the pictures. Can you identify the sports that are being played? Describe the actions in the pictures to each other.
=
In the first picture, the player is trying to put the ball in the basket.
In the second picture, the players are trying to take the football into the goal.
In the third picture, the player is trying to jump as long as he can.
In the fourth or last picture, the player is sending the tennis ball to the other side of the net.
Comprehension
A. Answer the questions.
1. Where did the ancient Olympic Games first take place?
= The ancient Olympic Games first took place in the valley of Olympia in Greece.
2. Why was a temple and an immense statue built in Olympia to honour Zeus?
= There was a myth that Zeus defeated his father, Kronos, for the control of the world, a temple and an immense statue was built in Olympia to honour him.
3. Who was Coubertin?
= Coubertin was a young Frenchman who started the modern Olympic Games in 1896.
4. What is special about the colours of the rings on the Olympic flag?
= At least one of the colours of the rings, appears in the flag of each country that takes part.
5. What is the Olympic motto and what does it mean?
= The Olympic motto in Latin is - Citius, Altius, Fortius.
It means - Swifter, Higher, Stronger.
B. Complete the paragraph with suitable words and phrases.
= A few weeks before the beginning of the Games, a woman dressed in Greek robes lights the Olympic torch in the Olympia valley in Greece. Many participants take turn to run with the torch through different countries. Just before the Games begin the final runner carries it to the stadium. The Olympic flame is then kept burning until the Games close. The flame is put out at the closing ceremony.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. "He wanted people from all over the world to come together and compare in a friendly spirit."
a. Who is referred to as he in the above sentence?
= Baron Pierre de Coubertin is referred to as he in the above sentence.
b. What did he begin and when? What was his objective?
= He began the modern Olympic Games in 1896.
His object was that people from all over the world to come together and compete in a friendly spirit.
c. What do you understand by friendly spirit?
= Friendly spirit is the unity and integrity among the people of the whole world. This promotes fraternity all over the world. It demises the narrow discriminations.
2. "The Olympic motto in Latin - Citius, Altius, Fortius..."
a. When did the modern Olympic Games begin?
= The modern Olympic Games began in 1896.
b. What is the meaning of Citius, Altius, Fortius?
= Citius, Altius, Fortius means - Swifter, Higher, Stronger.
c. What did it describe?
= It described the goal of the athletes all over the world.
3. "The flame is put out at the closing ceremony."
a. Which flame is being talked about here?
= The flame of the Olympic torch is being talked about here.
b. Who lights the torch and when?
= A woman dressed in Greek robes lights the torch a few weeks before the Games begin.
c. What happens after the torch is being lit?
= After the torch is being lit, many participants take turns to run with the torch through different countries. The final runner carries it to the stadium just before the Games begin. The Olympic flame is kept burning until the Games close.
D. Think and answer.
1. Why does the Olympic motto continue to inspire athletes till today?
= The Olympic motto described the goal of athletes all over the world. It inspires them to hold perseverance and practice hard to reach their goal. Even many of them, who could not win, feel grateful that they get the chance to compete against the best players.
2. "The important thing is not to win but to participate." What do you understand by this statement?
= This statement reveals the main aspect of games and sports. Winning or losing is part of game. But the most important is the participation. It promotes unity, integrity and fraternity among the players. It helps us to stay healthy and well.
3. The 'labours' of Heracles needed both strength and intelligence. Do you think the modern Olympic Games requires the competitors to be both strong and intelligent? Give examples for your answer.
= The 'labours' of Heracles needed both strength and intelligence.
I think the modern Olympic Games requires the competitors need to be both strong and intelligent. They have to compete against the athletes from all over the world. Strength will help them to go forward in the race and intelligence would help them to accept good strategy to win.