2. Questions: ► Did you watch the opening ceremony on that day? And who can use some words to talk about your afterthoughts? ► Do you know what is the greatest event for our country in 2008? our country in 2008? ► Who can tell us the exact date of the Olympic Games? Olympic Games?

3. The Olympic Games The Olympic Games

5. Background: ► The ancient Greek Olympic games were held in Olympia in Greece every four years between 776BC and 339BC. Only Greek free-born citizens could take part. Slaves were prevented form competing. The games were held in a four-year cycle at Olympia. Most athletes competed in several competitions but the Olympic games remained the most important. ► Only men and boys could compete in the athletics in the ancient Olympic Games.

6. Women could only take part in chariot races with horses. Married women were not even allowed to watch the games; only young girls, boys and men could watch. Married women who did try to watch could be put to death. · Athletes trained hard. Many Greeks believed that developing the body was as important as educating the mind. So regular exercise was an important part of school life. · The winners got wreaths made of olive leaves. They did not receive money but

7. they could get presents form their hometowns. Some towns fed their winners or gave them good seats at the theatre. One city even built a private gymnasium for their winner. · The Olympic judges came from a special part of Greece called Elis. The Eleans were well-known for their fairness so everybody was happy about this. Cheating was seen as very bad and people were fined money or not allowed to take part in the future games. · Many of the events in the ancient Olympic

8. Games are part of the modern events in the present-day Olympic Games: boxing, running, wrestling (or judo) and the pentathlon (or five events together) which included running, jumping, wrestling and throwing of javelin and discus.

9. Olympic torch

10. Five rings Five continents Five rings join together Five rings join together Friendship Friendship EuropeAsiaAfricaOceaniaAmerica The Olympic flag

11. goldsilver bronze

12. Olympic beliefs Swifter Higher Stronger

13. 2004 Athens Olympic Mascots Olympic Mascots 2000 Sydney Olympic Mascots 1996 Atlanta Olympic Mascots

14. mascots

15. Summer Olympic Games Winter Olympic Games Two Kinds of modern Olympic Games: The olive wreath

16. 项目 What events( 比赛 项目 ) are there for the Summer Olympics? footballbaseball Table tennis swimming Wrestling diving

17. Running Marathon weight lifting cycling boxing shooting horse riding gymnastics

18. Ice ball skiing skating figure skating 花样滑冰 What events are there for the Winter Olympics?

19. Green Olympics Cultural Olympics Scientific & technical Olympics 2008 Beijing Olympic Motto

20. Pausanias Li yan interviewer interview Ancient times Modern times interviewee

21. Ancient Olympics Modern Olympics similarities differences

22. What are the similarities and differences between the ancient and modern Olympics? Group discussion

23. The similarities: ★ Both are held every four years. ★ Both are held not for money but for years. years. ★ The beliefs are the same. they are : swifter, higher, stronger. ★ Men are allowed to take part in the Olympics.

24. ★ Some events are the same, such as running, jumping, shooting, and throwing. The Differences: ★ There were not winter Olympics in the past. ★ Now competitors are form all over the world. But in the ancient time, only the people in Greece could take part.

25. ★ Only men were allowed to take part in the past, now woman are also allowed. ★ In the past, winners got the olive wreath as the prize. Now competitors compete for medals. ★ The events and athletes in modern time are more than those in the past. ★ There is a special village for the competitors to live in, a stadium for competitions, a gymnasium for these who watch the games now. but there were not in the past.

26. Is it worth hosting the Olympic Games?