The Olympic Games are an international sports competition which are held every four years in a different city. Thousands of athletes from all over the world compete against each other in individual and team sports. Over 1 billion people watch the games on TV.

The first Olympic Games were held in Greece in 776 B.C. They were called the ancient games and lasted until the 4th century A.D. The modern games began in 1896, when the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin revived the games to bring peace and friendship to the young people all over the world.

Today, there are summer and winter games. Up to 1994 both games were held in the same year, but now they are staged two years apart from each other.

Opening ceremony of the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo
Image: Rede do Esporte, CC BY 3.0 BR,
via Wikimedia Commons

Ceremonies and Symbols of the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games begin with the opening ceremony . Athletes from all the participating nations march into the stadium. Greece comes in first, because it was the first nation to hold the Olympics, and the host nation comes in last.

The Olympic flag is raised and a chosen athlete lights the Olympic flame . It is a symbol of spirit , knowledge, and life. The fire comes from Olympia , a small town in Greece and many runners transport the flame in a torch relay to the site of the games. It burns from the opening ceremony until the end of the games.

The Olympic rings were created in 1913 and represent the five continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas).

All athletes must take the Olympic oath . One of them has to promise that all athletes will give their best and compete in a fair way.

After each event, medals are given to the first three athletes. They receive gold, silver and bronze medals. Their flags are raised and the national anthem of the winner’s country is played.

Arrival of the Olympic torch in London
Image: WikiLaurent, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Olympic flag with rings
Image: Sam from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)

The IOC (International Olympic Committee) is the organisation that governs the games. It decides which sports and events are held at the games. The IOC also selects the host city for the summer and winter games, at least seven years before they take place. Cities that want the games must show that

• they have enough stadiums for all events
• they have enough room for all the athletes
• they can provide safety for the athletes
• they can transport athletes and spectators from one event to another
• they can build an Olympic village where all athletes live during the games

How Athletes Take Part

Normally, each country decides for itself which sportsmen and –women are allowed to take part. Athletes must qualify for the games by winning or doing well in competitions before the Olympic Games start.

Athletes, who are sent to the games by their country, must be a citizen of that country. For years, only amateurs were able to participate in the games, but today, most athletes are professionals, who earn their money through sport.

Most governments give their team money so that it can take part in the games.

US track team qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games
Image : jenaragon94 / CC BY 2.0

The Ancient Olympic Games

The ancient Olympic Games were celebrated at Olympia, Greece every four years. They were held in honour of the god Zeus. In the early games, only Greek men were allowed to participate. The games consisted of sports like footraces , wrestling , boxing , the pentathlon and horse racing. The last event of the games was usually a chariot race .

When the Romans conquered Greece in 140 B.C. the games started to lose their religious meaning and in 393 the Roman emperor banned the event.

The Modern Summer and Winter Games

The Summer Games are held during the summer season of the host country. They last for 16 days. Today, there are more than 270 events during the games. Over 15,000 athletes from 200 nations take part. Summer Games are held in leap years.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, the Olympic Games in Tokyo were held in the following year.

The first separate Winter Games were held in Chamonix, France in 1924. They usually take place in February in the even years between the Summer Games. Today, the Winter Olympics include over 60 events. Athletes from more than 60 countries participate .

2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City
Image: debaird, CC BY-SA 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Politics and the Olympic Games

In the past, the Olympic Games have been disturbed by political issues . In 1936 the IOC chose Berlin as the site for the 1936 Summer Games. A few years later, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party rose to power and Hitler used the games to show Germany’s power .

In 1968 two Black American runners protested against their government and raised their fists when the American national anthem was played.

In 1980 the USA—and many other countries—didn’t send athletes to the games in Moscow because the Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan a year before. In return , the Russians and other Communist countries refused to take part in the 1984 games in Los Angeles.

The worst day in Olympic history came on September 5th, 1972 during the Munich games. Eight Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic village and killed two Israeli athletes. 9 others were taken hostage . They wanted the Israeli government to release over 400 Arab prisoners in Israel . During a battle with German policemen, all hostages and the terrorists were killed.

Opening ceremony of the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Image: Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-P017045 / Frankl, A. / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE,
via Wikimedia Commons

The Olympic Games Today

The Olympic Games have become very successful over the past years. More and more people are able to watch them on TV and television stations are spending more money for the rights to broadcast the games. The IOC earns more money than ever before. With this money, they help athletes in poorer countries.

Drugs have become a big problem. Some athletes take drugs before and during the games in order to help their muscles grow. When they are caught, they are disqualified and their medals are taken away from them.

Host Cities of the Olympic Games

Magic Moments of the Olympic Games

1912

1924

Paavo Nurmi , the „Flying Finn“ , wins five gold medals in track and field.

1936

The African American Jesse Owens wins four gold medals in track and field at the Berlin games. This is embarrassing to Adolf Hitler , who wants to prove that the German people are better than all the rest.

1956

Austrian skier Toni Sailer wins all races in the Olympic skiing events —French skier Jean Claude Killy does the same in 1968.

1960

Abebe Biklia of Ethiopia runs the fastest marathon ever—wearing no shoes . It is the third marathon he has ever run and he is the first African to win an Olympic gold medal.

1968

Bob Beamon leaps 8.9 metres in the long jump. This world record holds for over 20 years.

1972

The USA’s Mark Spitz becomes the world’s most successful swimmer—winning seven gold medals.

1976

Romanian-born Nadia Comaneci gets the first perfect score in gymnastics : 10.0.

1980

Dutch speed skater Eric Heiden becomes the first athlete to win five gold medals in a single Olympic Games. The United States ice hockey team wins the gold medal for the first time after the sport has been dominated by the Russians for the past years.

1988

Ben Johnson sets a new world record in the 100 metre dash, but is then disqualified after the IOC discovers that he has taken steroids.

1992

Jesse Owens wins the long jump at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Image: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-R96374 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE,
via Wikimedia Commons

Nadia Comăneci at the 1980 Olympics
Image: Unknown (Comitetul Olimpic si Sportiv Roman),
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

US basketball “Dream Team” at the 1992 Olympic Games
Image: National Archives at College Park – Still Pictures,
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Some Popular Olympic Sports

Weightlifting

Athletics

Swimming

Ice Skating

Equestrian Events

Gymnastics

Weightlifting is a sport as old as mankind. You need a combination of power and strength, speed and concentration as well as timing. Women were allowed to lift weights for the first time at the 2000 Olympics.

Lidia Valentín from Spain at the 2012 Olympics
Image: Simon Q, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Athletics is about running faster, jumping higher and throwing further than other athletes. It is the heart of the games. Today , the most popular events are athletic: the 100 m dash, the long jump or the marathon.

Usain Bolt wins the 100 m dash at the 2008 Olympics
Image: PhotoBobil, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In today’s Olympics, men and women compete in 16 events each. The fastest swimmers compete in the freestyle race. There are also relay races for 4 swimmers.

400 meter relay race at the 2008 Olympics
Image: Jmex60, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

The Dutch were the first to skate across frozen rivers and canals. Very quickly the sport spread to other parts of Europe and North America. Today there are two main skating events : speed skating and figure skating.

Speed Skating at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz
Image: Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-05456 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE,
via Wikimedia Commons

Equestrian events were held for the first time in 1900. In the past only military officers could take part. Today there are three disciplines: Jumping, dressage and eventing.

Equestrian sports at the 2012 Olympics
Image: Ian Patterson, CC BY 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Gymnastics have a long and proud history. The sport goes back to the ancient games , where young men were prepared for war.

Today athletes compete on the floor, pommel horse, balance beam, rings etc..

Gymnast on parallel bars
Image: Pavel Ryčl, Attribution,
via Wikimedia Commons

Videos

History of the Olympic Games
The Olympic Games – History and Symbols

Exercises

Multiple Choice Test
Match the Sentence Parts
Words and Definitions
Olympic Games – Missing Word Cloze
Host Cities of North America
Host Cities of Europe
Olympic Dates and Events
Michael Phelps – Missing Word Cloze
Crossword

Word Search

Jigsaw Puzzle

Writing Task

Sports Today, a well-known magazine especially made for the younger generation, wants to know what young people think about the Olympic Games and has decided to organize an essay competition. The winner will be awarded a two-week trip to the next Olympic Summer Games.

You have decided to take part and send in an essay.

In your essay you should 

• describe how important the Olympic Games as a global event are
• explain what the advantages and disadvantages of holding such mega events are
• give reasons why or why not the games are good for the host country or host city

Write an essay of 300 – 400 words. !

Image : blende12 on Pixabay , Public Domain

Printable Downloads (PDF)

Word List
End of Unit Test
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Alpine Skiing

Alpine skiing is skiing down a hill. The word comes from the Alps, the highest mountains in Europe, where downhill skiing started. Beginners slide down gentle slopes and keep the front tips of their skis together. This is called a snow plough. When you get better, you ski parallel and keep your ankles together.

For many years skis were made out of wood. Today modern carvers are made of a combination of different materials. They have metal edges and are broader at the ends so that you can turn more easily. Generally, better skiers use longer skis because they keep steady at higher speeds. Safety bindings help prevent leg injuries. They separate you from the skis when you fall down.

The first boots were made out of leather. Today they have two parts. The outer shell is hard and gives skiers more protection, the inner boot is made up of foam or other materials and keeps your feet warm. Two ski poles are used to help you keep your balance.

Alpine skiing is a very popular form of recreation in many countries. Millions enjoy it in the USA, Canada, many European countries and Japan.

There are thousands of ski areas all over the world. In America, Colorado is the most popular state for skiing with famous resorts like Vail and Aspen. Europe has some of the most luxurious and famous skiing areas including St. Moritz (Switzerland), Val d’Isere (France), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) , Kitzbühel and the Arlberg (Austria) and Sestriere (Italy).

Skiing resorts in the Alps
Image (altered): original image: Lencerborder enhancment & cities: Pechristener, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Nordic Skiing

Nordic skiing includes cross-country skiing and ski jumping. It is called Nordic because cross- country skiing has been a way of getting around in Norway, Sweden and Finland for a long time.

Cross-country skiing is the most popular form of Nordic skiing. Skiers glide over flat or hilly areas, and along forest trails. The skiers move by thrusting their poles into the snow and striding forward. Cross-country skiing is a good exercise and strengthens your overall physical condition. The skis are much lighter and narrower than alpine skis and do not have a metal edge. The poles are also longer than alpine poles because you use more thrust to move forward.

Ski jumping is a form of skiing for athletes. A skier glides down a steep track and flies off a platform at the end. Jumpers are judged on the distance of their jump and on their jumping style.

Cross-country skiing
Image: Svengollon, CC BY-SA 4.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

The Holmenkollen – a famous ski-jumping hill in Norway
Image: Gislus, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Freestyle Skiing

Free styling is form of skiing in which skiers perform stunts, unusual or difficult moves. It became popular during the 1960s and 1970s. Today there are three main forms of free styling. In ballet, the skiers ski down a slope and make jumps and spins on their way. In the aerial, skiers leap off a platform and perform spins and flips in the air before landing on the ground again. Mogul skiing is skiing on large bumps as fast as you can.

Other events include skiing in a half-pipe and slopestyle, in which you have to overcome obstacles while skiing down a slope

Skiing and jumping in a halfpipe
Image : Patrick Hui, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Skiing Competitions

Ever since people started to ski there have been contests to find out who could ski fastest, jump farthest or run fastest on skis. Competitions are organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS). It holds World Championships every two years and skiing events are a very important part of the Olympic Games every four years. In addition, World Cups are held every year.

Alpine Events

The slalom is a race in which a skier skis through about 50 gates. They are placed so that a skier must make many quick turns. The times of two runs are added together. In the giant slalom the gates are farther apart and the turns are smoother.Racers must be able to accelerate very well and should never lose their rhythm.

Super G and downhill are the so-called speed events. The Super G is a mixture between the downhill and the giant slalom. It is the youngest of the Alpine events. The downhill is the most dangerous of all skiing events. A skier descends a course of about 3 to 5 km as fast as possible. They must pass through control gates that are set up to keep them from dangerous areas and to make them slow down. Downhill skiers often reach speeds of up to 130 km an hour. Both Super G and downhill races only have one run.

Downhill event at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Image: Jon Wick, CC BY 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

David Ryding (U.K.) on a slalom course

Image : Christian Jansky, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nordic Events

Nordic competition consists of four events.

Cross country races are held on courses with hilly and flat parts. They can have various lengths of up to 50 km. In relay races four athletes form a national team and cover the same distance one after the other. The men’s relay is 40 km long, the women’s relay 20 km long.

Jumping competitions take place on hills of various heights. Jumpers slide down a snow covered track, take off at the end, fly through the air and land on a specially built landing hill. You get points for each jump depending on how far you jump. Your flying and landing style are also judged.

In the Nordic combined athletes have to make ski jumps and then race over a cross-country track . They receive points for each event.

In the biathlon an athlete must combine cross-country skiing with shooting skills. Participants ski over a course on which targets are set up at different points. Skiers must shoot at the targets from a standing and lying down position. For every miss you must ski a penalty round. In the biathlon relay four skiers race 7.5 km each.

Standing position at the shooting range in a biathlon World Cup event
Image : Götz A. Primke from Muenchen, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Peter Prevc at a World Cup jumping event in 2016
Image: Taxiarchos228, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons

Skiing Safety

Safety is an important part of skiing. At the beginning all skiers should take a course and get instructions from qualified skiing instructors. Doing exercise is also important and can reduce the chance of injuries.

Skiers should stay on marked trails or pistes . In most regions they have colored markings that show you if they are easy, medium or difficult. Never try to ski on a slope that is too hard for you!

It is important to watch out for other skiers. Never ski when you are overtired! If you are injured stay where you are and wait for rescue skiers to come. Clothing should be warm, lightweight and wind resistant. Use sunglasses or goggles to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays and wear a helmet to protect yourself from head injuries.

Signs that show slopes and their difficulties
Image : Eric T Gunther, CC BY 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Helmet and goggles for skiing
Image : PxHere , Public Domain

History of Skiing

The oldest skis, probably about 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, were found in Sweden and Finland. Some of the first skis were broad and looked like snowshoes. They were made from the bones of large animals.

Skis were first used for transportation and are still used as a way of travelling in Norway, Sweden and Finland. In the USA, skiers delivered the mail in the snowy mountains of the American Rockies. They were even used in wars during the Middle Ages.

Skiing as a sport developed in the 19th century. In 1843 the first competitions were held in Norway and at the end of the 19th century skiing developed in the Alps. An Austrian, Mathias Zdarsky, known as the father of Alpine skiing, had the idea of using two poles for balance and shortened his skis. After World War II Alpine skiing started to boom in the Alps because more and more lifts were built. Although cross-country skiing developed earlier, Alpine skiing became more popular.

Display of old skis at the Holmenkollen Ski Museum in Norway

Image : Elena Giglia from Torino, Italia, CC BY 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Famous Skiers

Toni Sailer

Jean Claude Killy

Ingemar Stenmark

Bjørn Dæhli

Matti Nykänen

Ole Einar Bjørndahlen

Lindsey Vonn

Marit Bjørgen

Marcel Hirscher

The Blitz of Kitz won three Olympic gold medals at the 1956 Games at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Later on he appeared in a few movies and in the 1970s he was the director of the Austrian skiing team.

Toni Sailer (AUT)

Image: Andreas Bohnenstengel, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE,
via Wikimedia Commons

As one of France’s greatest skiers he won all three gold medals at the Olympic Games of 1968 in Grenoble. Later on he played in a few TV commercials and helped organize the Olympic Games in Albertville , France in 1992.

Jean Claude Killy (FRA)

Image: Kremlin.ru, CC BY 3.0,via Wikimedia Commons

The Swede is regarded as the best slalom and giant slalom skier of all times. He won 86 World Cup races, more than any other skier. He won two Olympic gold medals and two World Championships.

Ingemar Stenmark (SWE)

Image: Bengt Nyman, CC BY-SA 4.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

The Norwegian athlete dominated cross country skiing in the 1990s. He won 12 Olympic medals, 8 of them in gold. In his youth he was a good ski jumper but later on concentrated on cross country skiing.

Bjørn Dæhli (NOR)

Image: http://www.peakinnovation.se, CC BY 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

The Finnish ski jumper is considered to be the best ever in that sport. In the 1980s he won four Olympic gold medals and five World Championships .

After retirement Nykänen had personal problems, including a few divorces and alcohol abuse.

Matti Nykänen (FIN)

Image : Jakke Nikkarinen / Suomen Moneta, CC BY 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

The Norwegian has the nickname “King of Biathlon”. He is the most successful biathlon athlete of all times. From the start of his career in the early 1990s until his retirement in 2018 Bjørndahlen won 13 Olympic medals and a total of 45 medals at World Championships.

Ole Einar Bjørndahlen(NOR)

Image: Vow, edited by me Okino, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

The American Lindsey Vonn is one of the most successful female skiers of all times. She won a total of 82 World Cup races, most of them in the downhill and super-G events. Vonn is one of a handful of women who won World Cup races in all five alpine events.

She participated in 4 Olympic Games and won the gold medal in the women’s downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Lindsey Vonn (USA)

Image:Stefan Brending

Marit Bjørgen is the most successful female cross-country skier of all times. In a career spanning almost two decades, Bjørgen won 114 individual World Cup races. She won a total of 15 Olympic medals, five of them at the 2018 Pyeongchang games

Marit Bjørgen (NOR)

Image:Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

Marcel Hirscher is one of the most successful alpine skiers of the 21st century. Between 2012 and 2019 he won the overall World Cup a record 8 times in a row. He also won 67 World Cup races, most of them in his best events, the slalom and giant slalom.

Towards the end of his career, the Austrian skier won two gold medals at the 2018 in PyeongChang

Marcel Hirscher (AUT)

Image: Andreas Tröster, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE,
via Wikimedia Commons

Videos

Skiing Safety
Alpine Skiing
Ski Jumping
Biathlon
Freestyle Skiing Events

Exercises

Multiple Choice Cloze
Words and Definitions
TRUE or FALSE ?
Match the Sentence Parts
Skiing Resorts in the Alps – Map Exercise
Alpine Skiing – Missing Word Cloze
Skiing Resorts Offer More Alternatives – Multiple Choice Cloze
Crossword

Writing Tasks

Summary of Skiing

Opinion Writing

Use the mind map below to write a summary of skiing.

What do you think about the following statements. Choose a few and write about them.

Skiing has become an expensive sport.
Professional skiers earn too much money.
Cross-country skiing is healthier than alpine skiing.
A lot of skiers ski too fast and often hurt others.
There should be a skiing police on the slopes.
Ski jumping is too dangerous and should be forbidden.

/

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End of Unit Test
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