The Modern Olympics
Olympic Games Revived
The idea to revive the Olympic Games was suggested in the mid-nineteenth century, and by 1894 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was formed. Then in 1896 the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece.
The modern version of the games involves two competitions; the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics. These are separate events which take place in different years and in different locations.
The Summer Olympics is a much bigger competition and includes events such as athletics (or 'track and field'), swimming, diving, boxing, wrestling, cycling, basketball, sailing, rowing, football, hockey, tennis, equestrian, shooting, weightlifting, gymnastics, etc. It occurs every four years.
The Winter Olympics includes events such as skiing, ski jumping, speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey, curling, bob sleigh, etc. The Winter Olympics also occurs every four years (but separated from the Summer Olympics by two years).
Since 1960, the Paralympic Games have been held in the same year as the Olympic Games. The Paralympics are for athletes with physical disabilities, with events ranging from basketball, archery and tennis for wheelchair athletes to swimming and running events for athletes missing one or more limbs. There are both Summer Paralympics and Winter Paralympics, and they are held just after their respective Olympic Games.
| word | example sentence | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| athletics | Which athletics events did you compete in at school? | 'track and field' events of running, jumping, throwing, etc. |
| bob sleigh | The world record for speed in a bob sleigh is over 200 km per hour. | sport of making timed runs in a sled down a narrow, twisting, iced track |
| curling | Curling involves a lot of strategy, and has even been called 'chess on ice'. | sport similar to bowls in which players slide heavy stones over ice, aiming at a target area |
| cycling | In some cycling events the riders go slow for most of the race, but then sprint at the end. | sport of racing on bicycles |
| diving | Many people love to watch the diving as it's one of the most graceful and beautiful sports. | sport of jumping into water in a stylized manner |
| equestrian | Equestrian events are the only ones in which males and females compete as equals. | of or relating to horseback riding |
| figure skating | Figure skating competitions are scored by a panel of judges. | sport involving the performance of stylized movements while wearing skates on ice |
| football | The type of football played at the Olympics is also called soccer. | team game in which a ball is kicked in order to pass it and score goals; soccer |
| gymnastics | Gymnastics events are scored by a panel of judges. | sport involving the performance of stylized exercises |
| hockey | Hockey is a popular sport in India and Pakistan. | team game in which a ball is a hit with a stick in order to pass it and score goals |
| ice hockey | Ice hockey is popular in North America and in Northern Europe. | team sport similar to hockey, but played in skates on an ice rink |
| International Olympic Committee (IOC) | The IOC organizes both the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics. | the group of officials who run the Olympic Games and lead the Olympic Movement |
| revive | The little boy nearly drowned, but he was revived on the beach by a doctor. | to bring someone back to life, or bring something into use again |
| rowing | The rowing events take place on a river far from the main stadium. | sport of racing in rowboats |
| sailing | Most people find the sailing events a little boring to watch. | sport of racing in sailboats |
| shooting | There were 17 shooting events in the 2004 Olympics; 10 for men and 7 for women. | sport of pistol and rifle shooting |
| skiing | Alpine skiing has fast, downhill events while cross-country skiing has slower, long-distance events. | sport of racing over snow on skis |
| ski jumping | Many people think ski jumping is one of the most exciting winter sports. | sport in which contestants ski over a take-off ramp and jump as far as they can |
| speed skating | Speed skating events are staged on an ice-covered oval track 400 metres long. | sport of racing over ice on skates |
| take place | Where will the next competition take place? | to happen; occur |
| track and field | Most track and field events are held in the main Olympic Stadium. | sports events of running, jumping, and throwing |
| weightlifting | There were no Olympic weightlifting events for women until the 2000 Sydney Olympics. | sport in which contestants attempt to lift heavy weights mounted on barbells |