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Faster, Higher, Stronger
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Olympic Motto
The Olympic Games are the Greatest international sports games in the world. They are held once every four years in one of the member countries of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The ancient Olympics began in Olympia Greece. The first Olympic Games were held in 776 B.C. Since that time they were held every four years and continued for nearly twelve centuries.
At first the Olympics lasted five days and the competition was only in running. The Olympic program grew as the games were developed and a lot of sports events were added: long-distance racing, wrestling, the pentathlon, horse-back racing, etc.
The only prize for each contest was a garland of wild olive.
The ancient Greek Olympic Games were for men only. Women, foreigners and slaves were forbidden to compete.
When the Greeks lost their authority and became dependent on Rome the games almost stopped existing. They lasted till 394 A.D. when the Roman emperor Theodosius abolished them He destroyed the Temple of Zeus and Olympia.
It was only in 1896 that the Olympic Games were restored on the initiative of a French teacher Pierre De Cubertin. The first international Olympic Games were held in Olympia Greece. The Olympic motto is: Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. The motto was proposed by Pierre de Coubertin on the creation of the International Olympic Committee in 1894. This motto was introduced in 1924 at the Olympic Games in Paris. The most important thing is not to win but to take part in the Olympic Games. Summer Games and Winter Games are held separately.
Only a dozen countries took part then (285 competitors), but it was a start and a good one. It was not until the Fourth Olympic Games in London, in 1908 that women were allowed to compete for the first time. The Winter Olympics have been held since 1924. At first Scandinavians dominated in all kinds of Winter Sports, that’s why the Flag of Norway was considered to be the flag of the Winter Games. At present the Olympic flag has a white background with five rings in the middle, in blue, yellow, black, green and red. The Olympic Hymn, also known informally as the Olympic Anthem, is played when the Olympic Flag is raised. The Olympic Flame is burning day and night for the duration of the Olympic Games.
Pierre De Cubertin died in 1936 and was buried according to his wish in ancient Olympia. Thus Ancient Greece is the homeland of the Olympic Games which have now become a sport event of world importance.
Exercise 3. Answer the 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?
9. What is the motto of the Olympic Games?
10. What are the symbols of the Olympic Games?
Exercise 4. Fill in the gaps with the words from the box:
| symbol / set up / Anthem / interlocking ring / Flame / participated / motto |
1. The Olympic... is: Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for " Faster, Higher, Stronger.“
2. Ukraine first.... at the Olympic Games as an independent nation in 1994.
3. The Olympic … is played when the Olympic Flag is raised.
4. The... of the Olympic Games is composed of five..., coloured blue, yellow, black, green and red on a white field.
5. The Olympic... is burning day and night for the duration of the Olympic Games.
6. The International Olympic Committee was... in 1896.
Exercise 5. Match two parts of the sentences:
1. In 394 AD the Games... a) took place in 1896.
2. The Olympic flag has... b) blue, yellow, black, green and red.
3. The International Olympic Committee... c) burning day and night.
4. Five interlaced rings of the Olympic flag are... d) a white background.
5. The Olympic Flame is... e) was set up in 1896.
6. The first modern Olympic Games... f) were abolished.
*Exercise 6. Read and translate the text finding out how many medals did Ukraine win totally:
Ukraine is a regular participant in both summer and winter Olympic Games and is successful on the international level.
Ukraine first participated at the Olympic Games as an independent nation in 1994. It has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games since then.
Ukraine has won a total (загалом) of 96 medals at the Summer Games and five at the Winter Games, with gymnastics as the nation's top medal-producing sport. The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine was created (утворений) in 1990 and recognized (визнаний) by the International Olympic Committee in 1993.
Ukraine won 20 medals at London Summer Olympic Games in 2012: 6 of them are gold (2 - in Boxing, 1 – in Canoe Sprint, 1 – in Weightlifting, 1 – in Rowing, 1- in Fencing), 5 – silver, and 9 – bronze.
*Exercise 7. Answer the questions:
1. When did Ukraine first participate at the Olympic Games as an independent nation?
2. When was the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine created?
3. When was it recognized by the International Olympic Committee?
4. What are the most famous Ukrainian sportsmen?
5. What kind of sport is considered one of the most popular sports in Ukraine?
*Exercise 8. Look at the photos and talk about them1. What are people celebrating? How do they honour their Olympic champions?
1 Employing Nelson’s Column as a kind of sports maypole is now a British tradition (photo B)
**Exercise 9. Work in pairs. Discuss the questions:
1. How much do you think the original concept of sports has changed in the last few years?
2. What sports can be done at different ages?
3. What do you think sportsmen can do after ending a sports career?
4. Do you like to play sports for pleasure or for professional aims? Why?
**Exercise 10. Write 3 or 4 sentences about the Olympic Games. Take out every word, but leave the first letter. Exchange papers with a groupmate to see if he/she can use the sound and the sense clues to supply the missing words.
Exercise 11. Prepare the story about the Olympic Games. Represent it to your groupmates.
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