2 . The modern Olympics, which appeared in ancient Greece as many as 3,000 years ago, have become the world’s most important sporting competition. From the 8th century B. C. to the 4th century A. D., the the ancient Olympics were held every four years in Olympia in honor of the god Zeus. The first modern Olympics took place in 1896 in Athens, and featured 280 participants from 13 nations, competing in 43 events. Since 1994, the Summer and Winter Olympic Games have been held separately every two years. The 2020 Summer Olympics, delayed one year because of the COVID-19, was held in Japan in 2021.
The ancient Olympics were held every four years between August 6 and September 19 during a festival honoring Zeus. The Games were named for their location (位置) at Olympia, a place near the western coast in southern Greece. Their influence was so great that ancient historians began to measure time by the Olympic Games held every four years.
After the Roman Empire conquered (征服) Greece in the mid-2nd century B.C., the Games continued, but their standards and quality dropped. For example from 67 A. D., the Emperor Nero entered an Olympic horse race, announcing himself the winner even after he fell off his horse during the event. In 393 A. D., Emperor Theodosius Ⅰ ended the ancient Olympic tradition.
It was another 1,500 years before the Games rose again, largely thanks to the efforts of Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937) of France. Working hard at the development of physical education, the young man became inspired by the idea of creating a modern Olympic Games after visiting the ancient Olympic building. In November 1892, at a meeting of the Union des Sports Athlétiques in Paris, Coubertin suggested the idea of making the Olympics an international athletic competition held every four years. Two years later, he got the approval (批准) he needed to found the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ), which would become the governing body of the modern Olympic Games.
1. What do we know about the modern Olympics?
| A．The modern Olympics became famous in the 18th century. |
| B．The first Winter Olympics was held in 1994. |
| C．The first modern Olympics dates back to 1896. |
| D．The latest Winter Olympics will delay for two years. |
2. How often were the ancient Olympics held?
| A．Every year. | B．Every other year. |
| C．Every three years. | D．Every four years. |
3. When did the ancient Olympics end?
| A．In 393 A. D. | B．In 67 A. D. |
| C．In the mid-2nd century B. C. | D．About 1,500 years ago. |
4. What is the best title of the text?
| A．The ancient Olympics |
| B．The modern Olympics |
| C．The Olympics developed through years |
| D．The Olympics are popular in modern time |
