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 Olimpia. They included many different kinds of sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All the cities in Greece sent their best athletes to Olimpia 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, a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, addressed all the sports governing bodies and pointed out the significance of sports 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. The International Olympic Committee decides upon the programme of the games, the number of the participants and the city-host for the Games. Over one hundred and fifty countries are represented in the International Olympic Committee now. Besides, each country has its National Olympic Committee. Summer and Winter Games are held separately. There are always several cities wishing to host the Games. The most suitable is selected by the International Committee. After that the city of the Games starts preparations for the competitions, constructs new sports facilities, stadiums, hotels, press centres. Thousands of athletes, journalists and guests come to the Games, and it takes great efforts to arrange everything. There is always an interesting cultural programme of concerts, exhibitions, festivals, etc., for each Games. Russia joined the Olympic movement in 1952. Since then it has won a lot of gold, silver, and bronze medals. In 1980 Moscow hosted the Twenty- Second Olympic Games. The latest Olympic Games were held in Sydney. Russian sportsmen got medals for their records in many sports events.
Names Olympic Games [a,limpik 'geimz] Олимпийские игры Baron Pierre de Coubertin f'baeran pi,ea da ,ku:ba'taer)] барон Пьер де Кубертен (французский общественный деятель, педагог, основатель международного олимпийского движения) Olympia [alimpia] Олимпия the International [jnta'naefnl] Olympic Committee [ka'miti] Международный олимпийский комитет Sydney ['sidni] Сидней (один из крупнейших городов Австралии)
Vocabulary ВС [,bi:'si:] до нашей эры (сокр. от Before Christ [kraist]) wrestling ['resliij] борьба athlete f'aeSlht] атлет to compete [kam'pht] соревноваться AD [,ei'di:] нашей эры (сокр. от лат. Anno Domini) to abolish [a'bolif] отменять, упразднять to renew [ri'nju:] возобновлять governing ['g/wanig] административный, руководящий body ['bodi] орган, комитет to point out указывать (на) significance [sig'nifikans] значимость, важность value ['vaelju:] ценность, важность, значение to be held проводиться to symbolyze ['simbalaiz] символизировать to set up организовать, создать policy-making ['polisi] body орган, определяющий политику, цели (олимпийского движения) representative [,repri'zentativ] представитель participant [partisipant] участник city-host [,siti'haust] город-хозяин Олимпийских игр national ['naejnl] национальный, государственный separately ['sepratli] отдельно to host [haust] принимать гостей, быть хозяином suitable ['sju:tabl] подходящий to select [si'lekt] отбирать, выбирать sports facilities [fa'silitiz] спортивные сооружения stadium ['steidjam] стадион it takes great efforts ['efets] нужны большие усилия to arrange [a'reinds] устраивать, организовывать gold [gauld], silver ['silva] and bronze ['bronz] medals ['medlz] золотые, серебряные и бронзовые медали record ['reko:d] рекорд sports event [i'vent] спортивное соревнование
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 modem 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. How does the city-host prepare for the Olympic Games? 9. When did Russia join the Olympic movement? 10. Where were the latest Olympic Games held?
