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  3. The Olympic Games Origins The ancient Greeks first had the idea of, getting men together every four years to hold and wi

The Olympic Games Origins The ancient Greeks first had the idea of, getting men together every four years to hold and wi

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问题                        The Olympic Games
    Origins
    The ancient Greeks first had the idea of, getting men together every four years to hold and witness sporting events. All wars and fighting had to stop while the athletes and their supporters came together in the town of Olympia for a few days to compote in a few events, mostly related to wars: throwing the javelin (标枪), running, wrestling (摔跤), boxing and so on.
    The first written reference to the Games is 776 B.C. They lasted until 389 A.D. The idea of having the modem Games was suggested in the mid-19th century but they weren’t a world event until’ 1896. Besides being postponed because of wars, they have been held since then every four years in different cities around the world.
    Symbols
    The Olympic Games have many important symbols that most people recognize. The five rings that appear on the Olympic flag represent the five continents. The flag is raised in the host city and then flown to the next one where it is kept until the next Games. The Olympic torch, a major part of the ancient Games, was brought back in 1928 and is carried with great fanfare (号角) and publicity to the host city where it lights the burning flame of the Games. It is kept burning until the close of the Games.
    The torch, fanfare and flag are clearly evident in the Opening Ceremony, when everyone formally welcomes the participants and the Games can begin. Here we find the dramatic and colorful March of Nations, in which all the athletes from each country go into the stadium to the sound of their country’s national song and march behind their flags, thus becoming representatives of their countries.
    Medals
    In the ancient Games, only the winner was celebrated. Each winner was given a simple crown of olive leaves to wear on his head. This was the only reward for his victory. Those who came in second or third got nothing. Interestingly, when the Games started again in 1896, silver medals were given to the first place winners. Later in 1904 in the St. Louis Games, gold was the top prize. Now, of course we have gold for first place, silver for second and bronze for third.
    Motto
    The Olympics’ official motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius". This is Latin for "Swifter, Higher, Stronger". This is said to represent the Olympic spirit, supposed to be present throughout the Games and generally held to be a celebration of brotherhood, competition, sportsmanship, goodwill and peace. The Games help us see how similar we are, and help us celebrate our humanity.
    People
    As in ancient times, those who participate in the Games are famous for the rest of their lives. Today, it’s estimated that some 100,000 people have competed in the Games. These athletes, all supposed to be amateurs (people who play and get no money for their play), have to qualify or win regional and national events. They often play on their countries’ national teams. When they start playing, they become competitors or opponents on the playing field.
    Officials and scorekeepers monitor their play, and judges score their performances. Spectators watch the events, and fans cheer the athletes on.
    Helping the athletes in their chosen sports are their trainers and coaches. Helping the athletes in their business affairs are their agents and managers. Sometimes athletes have sponsors and after the Games are over the athletes become spokesmen for companies.
    The Olympic Games also require people to take on the jobs of announcers, commentators and broadcasters. These people comment on, report and describe the events that are happening and tell us about the standings of the countries and the athletes who play the Games.
    Unfortunate events in world history (the 1972 Munich Olympics) mean that security is a major concern for the Games. Thus the Olympics also employs those who are responsible for the safe-being of the athletes and spectators, including police (city, provincial and federal) and even national troops or soldiers. They are against ’common’ criminals (thieves, pickpockets...) and terrorists.
    Events
    The ancient Games had only a few events. Foot racing was in every game and each race had a variety of lengths—the longest being the marathon named after the Greek city and famous battle. The pentathlon (五项全能), supposedly developed by Jason of Golden Fleece fame, had five events: running, jumping, wrestling, discus (铁饼) throwing and javelin throwing, which were all scored together. Three pentathlon events were important and popular enough to have their own events. Wrestling, discus throwing and the javelin were all recorded in the Homeric poems and were seen as vital for all men to be skilled in. The javelin throw was separated into two categories: length and accuracy (aimed at a specific target). Boxing was one of the oldest events and was written about by Homer. Today, of course, there are many more events.
    Competition
    Athletes compete or play against each other in hopes of winning. That might mean crossing the finish line first or putting on a perfect performance. Throughout the Games, the players are supposed to play with a spirit of sportsmanship, which can be defined as the character and conduct worthy of a sportsman. This means that they are to play with honor, seeking only to do their very best in their sport, and not specifically to defeat the other players.
    When the playing begins, the events have preliminaries, or official trials or contests, in which athletes have to meet specified minimum requirements. This is for the setting of standards and for athletes to gain the fight to compete in the final contest.
    Sometimes it seems that the spirit and the joy of the Games have been lost to commercialism and the overpowering desire to focus only on victory. Unfortunately, some athletes and coaches have taken to cheating or taking drugs, in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage. The drugs that can encourage muscle strength and energy are one of the banned substances that give athletes an extra, and illegal, advantage.
    In spite of the problems of cheating and taking drugs, and nationalism which can cause division, the Games carry on and remain popular. This is possibly because the Games show us what we as humans are capable of and that humanity is capable of engaging in friendly competition. We should keep in mind what the father of the modem Games, Baron Pierre de Courbertin, once said: Olympism is not a system, it is a state of mind."
In Olympic history, the gold medal does not always represent the top prize.
选项 A、Y
B、N
C、NG
答案A
解析 文章第五段提到“Interestingly, when the Games started again in 1896, silver medals were given to the first place winners. Later in 1904 in the St. Louis Games, gold was the top prize.”有趣的是，当1896年恢复奥运会的时候，银牌被授予了冠军。后来在1904年的奥运会上，金牌才被看做是最高奖。由此可以推断出，在奥运历史上，金牌并不总是代表着最高奖项。本题的说法与文章内容完全相符。
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