БИЛИМ БУЛАГЫ

Kinds of Sport

Olympic Games

OLYMPICS
Question: What do you already know about the Olympics?

Athletes competed in the first Olympic Games in Greece almost three thousand years ago in 776 BC. Every four years, people from Greek city-states (and later the Roman empire) traveled to a place called Olympia to watch the games, which continued until 393 AD. They lasted from between one and five days, and only men were allowed to compete in the games. Many of the sports events were similar to those found in today’s modern games where athletes run, jump and throw. The modern Olympic Games began with the creation of the International Olympic Committee (the IOC) in 1894 and Greece was the first country to hold the games, in the city of Athens, in 1896. Fourteen countries with 241 athletes competed in fortythree events. Although some people wanted to have the games in Athens every four years, the IOC decided to have them in different countries and cities. In 1900, they were held in Paris and women were allowed to compete in the games for the first time. The first Winter Olympic Games were held in 1924 and athletes competed in events such as skating and ice hockey. Over 200 countries now compete in the Summer Olympic Games. The number of events has increased to 300 events and instead of five days of competition, the games now last for seventeen days. There are some problems, however. There were no Olympic games held in 1916, 1940 and 1944 because of war. Also, some athletes use drugs to help them win. In addition, the games are very expensive. The 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, for example, cost $US50 billion. Nevertheless, the Olympic Games continue to be extremely popular all over the world.

A bad case of the sneezes, by Bruce Lansky.Funny 'school excuses' poem, and gap fill exercise created to practise the past simple tense. Can also be used as a reading exercise, a warmer or filler, and when focusing on the theme of sickness.