EigoPro 2級 読解 — The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games Every few years, billions of people around the world watch the Olympic Games. Athletes from almost every nation gather to compete, and for a short time sport seems to unite the whole planet. Yet few viewers realise just how old, and how unusual, the history of these games really is. The first Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece more than 2,700 years ago. They took place at Olympia, a sacred site, and were part of a religious festival held in honour of the gods. Only free Greek men were allowed to take part, and the events were quite different from today's: running, wrestling, and chariot racing were among the most popular. Winners received no money, only a simple crown of olive leaves — yet the honour was so great that poems were written about them. After about a thousand years, the ancient games came to an end. They were forgotten for centuries until, in the late nineteenth century, a Frenchman named Pierre de Coubertin dreamed of bringing them back. He believed that international sport could encourage peace and understanding between nations. Thanks largely to his efforts, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, with athletes from just fourteen countries. Since then, the games have grown enormously. Women now compete alongside men, hundreds of events have been added, and the Olympics have become one of the largest events on Earth. This growth has brought problems too: the huge cost of hosting, and worries that politics and money sometimes overshadow the sport. Still, every time the games begin, they renew an ancient idea — that competition, at its best, can bring people together rather than drive them apart.

新規登録 または ログイン が必要です