Text 6 a

THE OPENING CEREMONY

Since ancient times the Olympic Games have been playing an important role in encouraging people to take up sports and recreation. The Olympic Games bring together thousands of the world's finest athletes to compete against one another. No other sports event attracts so much attention. Several million people attend the games, and hundreds of millions throughout the world watch them on television.

The Olympic Games consist of the Summer Games and Winter Games. The Summer Games are held in a major city, and the Winter Games are held in a winter resort. The Olympics have normally been held every four years, with both the Summer Games and Winter Games taking place the same year. Since 1994 the Summer Games and Winter Games are held on a four-year cycle two years apart.

Colourful ceremonies combine with athletic competition to create the special feeling of excitement that surrounds the Olympics. The opening ceremony is particularly impressive. The athletes of Greece march into the stadium first in honour of the original Olympics held in ancient Greece. The other athletes follow in al­phabetical order by country depending on the spelling of each na­tion's name in the language of the host country. The athletes of the host country enter last.

The head of state of the host country declares the games open. The Olympic flag is raised, trumpets play, and cannons boom ¹in salute. Hundreds of doves are released into the air ² as a symbol of peace.

The most dramatic moment of the opening ceremony is the light­ing of the Olympic flame. Runners in cross-country relays bring a lighted torch from the valley of Olympia, Greece, where the ancient Olympics were held. Thousands of runners take part in the journey, which starts four weeks before the opening of the Games. They re­present Greece and each country that lies between Greece and the host nation. Planes and ships transport the torch across mountains and seas. The final runner carries the torch into the stadium, cir­cles the track, and lights the Olympic flame. The flame is kept burning until the end of the Games. This custom started in 1936 .

The modern Olympics were organized to encourage world peace and friendship and to promote amateur athletics. The Olympic sym­bol consists of five interlocking rings that represent the conti­nents of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South Ame­rica. The rings are blue, black ,red, yellow and green. The flag of every nation competing in the Games has at least one of these colours. The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger).

Belarusians have been taking part in the Olympic Games as an independent team since 1994.

Notes:

¹…trumpets play and cannons boom – …звучат фанфары, гремят пушки.

^2.Hundreds of doves are released into the air… – В воздух выпускают сотни голубей…

.

Vocabulary and Speech Exercises

Ex. 1. Replace the following Russian words and word combinations by their English equivalents from the text:

лучшие спортсмены, привлекать внимание, посещать игры, смотреть по телевизору, состоять из, курорт, четырехлетний цикл, церемония открытия, в честь, античная Греция, в алфавитном порядке, прини­мающая страна, глава государства, зажжение Олимпийского огня, зажженный факел, олицетворять Грецию, пробежать круг по стадиону, поддерживать мир во всем мире, пять переплетенных колец, девиз игр.

Ex. 6. Fill in the gaps with the words from the word-box below:

1. The Olympic Games … the Summer Games and Winter Games.

2. The Winter games are held in a winter ... .

3. The opening ceremony is particularly ... .

4. The athletes of Greece march into the ... first.

5. The other athletes follow in alphabetical ... .

6. The athletes of the ... country enter last.

7. Runners in cross-country relays bring a lighted ... .

8. Thousands of runners ... in the journey.

9. The final runner lights the ... .

10. The flame is kept burning until the end of the … .

11. The Olympic symbol consist of five ... rings.

resort, consist of, stadium, impressive, host, order, take part, torch, Olympic flame, stadium, games, interlocking

Ex. 3. Complete the following statements. Choose one of the alternatives:

1.	The Olympic Games consist of the	- Summer Games Winter Games Summer and Winter Games
2.	At the opening ceremony the athletes of Greece march into the stadium	- first second in alphabetical order
3.	The athletes of the host country enter	- first last second
4.	The most dramatic moment of the opening ceremony is the	- raising of the Olympic flag lighting of the Olympic flame bringing a lighted torch
5.	The flame is kept burning	- one day one weak until the end of the Games
6.	The Olympic symbol consists of	- five rings four interlocking rings five interlocking rings
7.	The Olympic motto is	- higher, stronger, faster faster, higher, stronger faster, stronger, higher