The Olympic Games are a major international event and they house different competitions in summer and winter sports.

And now a little bit of the history of the Olympics. The Olympic Games began more than two thousand years ago. Since then they are still the grounds of competition for the worlds greatest athletes. At the very beginning the Olympic games used to be a competition for the citizens of ancient Greece and of other nearby countries. And now they have developed into a worldwide, commercially oriented event.

The early Olympic Games started in 776 B.C in ancient Greece. Greek people found those games so important that they used periods in between the Games to date important historical events. The winner of the Games got very good prizes – free food and housing for life. Poets mentioned the winners in their poems, architects made sculptures of winner athletes, and they became popular throughout Greece. So, winning the Olympic Games made you a national hero. It was already an honor to take part in the Games. People from Italy, Sicily, Asia, Africa, and Spain all made the long way to Olympia. And all the famous people of the time attended the Games. Olympia was chosen as a sight of the Games because it was seen as a neutral area. It was also a beautiful green valley accessed by two rivers. The Olympia was also the place where the wild olive tree grew. And the Crown Olive became the only prize won at Olympia. One Persian leader who fought against Greece noticed that Greek people loved fighting not for gold and money but purely for the sake of excelling. Originally there was only one race. It was a sprint and the winners got a prize - an olive wreath. Time went on and other races and other sports were added like boxing and wrestling.

In 1894 baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee. In the 20th century Winter Olympic Games were created for ice and snow sports. The Olympic Games now are held every 2 years Winter Olympic Games coming after Summer Olympic Games. Then the Paralympic Games were added for people with physical disabilities and Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes. The growing importance of the Mass Media made the Olympic Games commercial.

There are over 13,000 athletes that compete at Summer and Winter Olympics in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events. The first, second and third place winners in each event receive gold, silver or bronze Olympic medals, respectively.

The Games now give the chance to different sportsmen to get national or even international fame. And the Games also give an opportunity for the host city and country to show themselves to the world.

Перевод некоторых слов:

The Olympic Games, the Olympics – Олимпийские игры, a competition – соревнование, a major international event – одно из основных международное событие, an athlete – атлет, ancient Greece – древняя Греция, worldwide – по всему миру, to date historical events – датировать историческое событие, a winner – победитель, a sculpture – скульптура, a national hero – национальный герой, honor – слава, Olympia – Олимпия (город в Древней Греции, место проведения Олимпийских игр), a sight of the Games – место игр, wild olive tree – дикое оливковое дерево, for the sake of excelling – ради превосходства, победы, a sprint– бег на короткую дистанцию, спринт, an olive wreath – оливковый венок, Pierre de Coubertin – Пьер де Кубертен, the International Olympic Committee – Международный Олимпийский Комитет, Winter Olympic Games – Зимние Олимпийские игры,Summer Olympic Games – Летние Олимпийский Игры, the Paralympic Games – Паралимпийские игры (международные спортивные соревнование спортсменов-инвалидов), people with physical disabilities – люди с ограниченными возможностями, to give the chance – давать шанс, international fame – международная слава