Tasks:
- Read, translate the text.
- Write down the new words into your vocabularies.
- Make up microdialogues with these words or word combinations.
The History
of the Olympic Games
The Olympic Games are an international sports festival that began in ancient Greece.
The original Greek games were staged every fourth year for several hundred
years, until they were abolished in the early Christian era. The revival of the
Olympic Games took place in 1896, and since then they have been staged every
fourth year, except during World War I and World War II (1916, 1940, 1944). Long ago ancient
Greeks often waged wars. Small states suffered and lost much even if they did
not take any side and stayed out of wars. The ruler of such a small state,
Elis, wanted to live in peace with all neighbours. He was a good diplomat
because his negotiations were successful and Elis was recognized a neutral
state. To celebrate this achievement, he organized athletic games. In
the beginning this feast lasted one day, but later a whole month was devoted to
it. All wars and feuds were stopped by special heralds who rode in all
directions of Greece. The
games were held every four years in Olympia on the territory of Elis. The first
games which later were called the Olympic Games were held about a thousand
years before our era. Usually
the Olympic Games began before the middle of the summer. Best athletes arrived
from many Greek states to Olympia to compete in running, long jumps, throwing
of discus and javelin and wrestling. In the course of time fist fighting
(boxing) and chariot races were also included in the Games.All athletes took an
oath that they had been preparing for the Games and promised to compete
honestly and keep the rules of the sacred Olympics. The athletes took part in
all kinds of competitions. Winners were called "olympionics", they
were awarded olive wreaths and cups of olive oil. This tradition has survived.
In our time sportsmen often get cups and wreaths for winning the first place in
sports competitions. The
olympionics of ancient Greece became very popular. Best craftsmen were chosen
to make honourary cups, many poets wrote and recited in public poems about the
best athletes. Sculptors made their statues which were put up at the birthplace
of the winners. The Olympic Games were accompanied by arts festivals. Poets
recited their poems, singers sang hymns, dancers danced and orators pronounced
speeches — all this in honour of the sacred Games. Only
men could take part in the Olympic Games. Women were not allowed even to watch
the competitions at the stadium under the fear of death penalty. There was a
single exception, when a woman coached her son and accompanied him to the
stadium in men's clothes. That brave woman was spared the penalty because her
son excelled in many events. Magnificent
strong bodies inspired artists and sculptors. They painted wall pictures and
made statues of marble and bronze, so now we can admire the corporal beauty of
ancient and eternally young discus thrower, javelin bearer and others. The
Olympic Games had been held for about eleven hundred years, until the emperor
Theodosius banned them for religious reasons in 394 A. D. The
revival of the Olympic Games began long time afterwards, in 1892, when a young
French teacher Pierre de Coubertin made a public speech before the Union of
French sports clubs in Paris. At that time many people in many countries
practiced various kinds of sports and games. They wanted to make friends and
compete with sportsmen from other lands. Pierre de Coubertin understood the
importance of sports which unified peoples of the world and served the cause of
peace like in ancient time. On the 23rd of June 1894 the International Congress
of amateur sportsmen made an important decision: to revive the Olympic Games
and to establish the International Olympic Committee which would be responsible
for the administration of the modern Olympic Games. The first Committee
consisted of 12 members. Now 82 members of the International Olympic Committee
control the affairs of all member countries which joined the Olympic movement.
Немає коментарів:
Дописати коментар