Track 17: (Q 1 – 3) CD1 17 - 19

The original Olympics were first held by the Greeks more than 2,500 years ago. It was a very
big and popular event, but the Romance king stopped the games.

The first modern Olympic Games started again 1,500 years later. They were held in Athens
in 1896. The games were to promote peace by using sports.

The first few Olympic were not very popular. The Olympics were not well-known, so the
athletes were not properly trained. Some athletes of the first modern Olympics were tourists that
were passing by the stadium.

Just as the games were getting popular, World War I broke out. Because of this, the Games
were not held. In fact, the modern games did not take place three times due to the World Wars.

Although the Olympics were not about money, host countries spent and lost a lot of money.
This was why big companies were allowed to advertise in the event. This made the Olympics a
much larger event than before.

1. What is the talk mainly about?

A. The ancient Olympic Games

B. The modem Olympic Games
C. World Wars I and II
D. Companies in the Olympic Games

2. What does the speaker say about the first modem Olympics?

A. They only had one event.

B. They were very popular.
C. They were on television.
D. They were not very popular.
2. Who were the athletes of the first modem Olympics?
A. All of the athletes were amateur.
B. All of the athletes were professionals.
C. Some of the athletes were tourists.
D. Some of the athletes were soldiers.
ði əˈrɪʤənl əʊˈlɪmpɪks wə fɜːst hɛld baɪ ðə griːks mɔː ðæn 2,500 jɪəz əˈgəʊ. ɪt wəz ə ˈvɛri bɪg

ənd ˈpɒpjʊlər ɪˈvɛnt, bət ðə rəʊˈmæns kɪŋ stɒpt ðə geɪmz.

ðə fɜːst ˈmɒdən əʊˈlɪmpɪk geɪmz ˈstɑːtɪd əˈgɛn 1,500 jɪəz ˈleɪtə. ðeɪ wə hɛld ɪn ˈæθɪnz

ɪn 1896. ðə geɪmz wə tə prəˈməʊt piːs baɪ ˈjuːzɪŋ spɔːts.

ðə fɜːst fjuː əʊˈlɪmpɪk wə nɒt ˈvɛri ˈpɒpjʊlə. ði əʊˈlɪmpɪks wə nɒt wɛl-nəʊn, səʊ ði ˈæθliːts wə

nɒt ˈprɒpəli treɪnd. sʌm ˈæθliːts əv ðə fɜːst ˈmɒdən əʊˈlɪmpɪks wə ˈtʊərɪsts ðət wə ˈpɑːsɪŋ baɪ

ðə ˈsteɪdiəm.

ʤəst əz ðə geɪmz wə ˈgɛtɪŋ ˈpɒpjʊlə, wɜːld wɔːr aɪ brəʊk aʊt. bɪˈkəz əv ðɪs, ðə geɪmz wə nɒt

hɛld. ɪn fækt, ðə ˈmɒdən geɪmz dɪd nɒt teɪk pleɪs θriː taɪmz djuː tə ðə wɜːld wɔːz.

ɔːlˈðəʊ ði əʊˈlɪmpɪks wə nɒt əˈbaʊt ˈmʌni, həʊst ˈkʌntriz spɛnt ənd lɒst ə lɒt əv ˈmʌni. ðɪs wəz

waɪ bɪg ˈkʌmpəniz wər əˈlaʊd tʊ ˈædvətaɪz ɪn ði ɪˈvɛnt. ðɪs meɪd ði əʊˈlɪmpɪks ə mʌʧ ˈlɑːʤər ɪ

ˈvɛnt ðən bɪˈfɔː.