The Olympic Games

'The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part.'

Baron de Coubertin

When the next Olympic Games begin, satellites will carry T.V. pictures of the opening ceremony to millions of people thousands of miles away. From their armchairs these people will be able to see their country's athletes competing in events and maybe winning a bronze, silver or even gold medal.

It is difficult to remember that the Olympic Games started in Olympia in Greece in 776 BC with only one race, a sprint, for which the prize for the winner was an olive wreath.

The idea of an international Olympic Games was conceived by a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin and the first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens in 1896. Nowadays, major cities compete to host the Olympic Games, not just for the honour the Games bring, but for the vast amount of profit a host country can make.

The games have also become politically important. They can now be seen by nearly every country in the world and are therefore an ideal platform for political statements. When Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in 1980, many countries in the West, including Britain and the United States, boycotted the Moscow Games. In 1984 some countries decided not to send teams to the Los Angeles Games because they felt there was not enough security and that they were too commercial.

In circumstances like these, the Olympic ideal and spirit comes into question. And for athletes there is less value in winning a gold medal if the best of the world's athletes are not competing. The question is -how much longer will the Games survive if nations continue to use them as a political platform?

/Blueprint. Intermediate. /

to compete [kəm'piːt] - состязаться, соревноваться, участвовать в (спортивном) соревновании, конкурировать, соперничать

to win [wɪn] won - победить, выиграть

to be conceived by smb [kən'siːvd] - быть задуманным

to host [həust] выступать в роли хозяина, принимающей стороны

vast amount of profit [vɑːst ə'maunt əf 'prɔfɪt] - громадные прибыли

political statement [pə'lɪtɪk(ə)l 'steɪtmənt] - политическое заявление

team [tiːm] - команда

security [sɪ'kjuərətɪ] - безопасность

in circumstances like this ['sɜːkəmstæn(t)sɪz] - в таких обстоятельствах

value['væljuː] - ценность; важность

to survive [sə'vaɪv] - пережить, выдержать, перенести, выжить

3. Which of these statements are true? Correct the false ones:

   1. The first Olympic Games started in Rome.

   2. The first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens in 1896.

   3. The Olympic Games are profitable, so major cities compete to host the Olympic Games.

   4. The Games are used as a political platform.

   5. For athletes there is more value in winning a gold medal if the best of the world’s athletes are not competing.

4. Retell the text.

Text 2

1. Read the article:

Study Shows Tourism a Major Source of gdp

The tourism industry contributes more to Russia’s gross domestic product than car and chemical manufacturing, according to a study released Wednesday by the World Travel & Tourism Council.

This percentage is pretty high for a European country, said Olivia Ruggles Brise, director of policy and research at the council.

The European average is 8 percent, but more manufacturing-focused countries – such as Germany, where tourism's share of GDP is 4 percent – have lower numbers

The revenues of Russia’s tourism sector are only expected to grow. The study forecasts that the industry’s contribution to GDP will increase by 4 percent each year over the next decade, which is faster than the expected growth rate for the whole economy.

“The percent share is probably not going to increase radically, but there are great tourism opportunities in Russia,” Ruggles Brise said.

However, the country still struggles to draw foreign tourists.

/The Moscow Times/

to contribute [kən'trɪbjuːt ], ['kɔntrɪbjuːt] - вносить вклад

domestic product [də'mestɪk 'prɔdʌkt] - отечественная продукция, национальный продукт

according to [ə'kɔːdɪŋ] - согласно; по; в зависимости от ...

to account for [ə'kaunt] - нести ответственность, отвечать за

compared with [kəm'pɛəd] - сравнивать, сличать, соответствовать (требованиям, стандартам) ; выдерживать сравнение с (чем-л. / кем-л.) ; сопоставляться с (чем-л. / кем-л.)

average ['æv(ə)rɪʤ] - среднее число; средняя величина; среднее

share [ʃɛə] - доля, часть; квота

to forecast['fɔːkɑːst] - предсказание; прогноз, прогнозирование

to expect[ɪk'spekt ], [ek-] - ждать, ожидать, надеяться, полагать

grouth rate [grəuθ reɪt] - темпы роста

to increase [ɪn'kriːs] - возрастать, увеличиваться, расти, усиливаться revenue ['rev(ə)njuː] - доход, выручка

2. Answer these questions:

   1. Does the tourism industry contribute more to Russia’s gross domestic product than car and chemical manufacturing?

   2. How much does the European tourism industry contribute to its GDP?

   3. Are the revenues of Russia’s tourism sector expected to grow?

   4. Are there great tourism opportunities in Russia?

Text 3

1. Read the article: