2014考研英語閱讀練習：奧運儀式_跨考網(wǎng)

　　Ceremonies of the OlympicGames

　　奧運儀式

　　TheOlympic Games have always included a number of ceremonies, many of whichemphasize the themes of international friendship and peaceful cooperation. The openingceremony has always included the parade1 of nations, in which the teams fromeach nation enter the main stadium as part of a procession. The Greek teamalways enters first, to commemorate2 the ancient origins of the modern Games,and the team of the host nation always enters last. The opening ceremony hasevolved3 over the years into a complex extravaganza4, with music, speeches, andpageantry5. It is eagerly anticipated and well attended. The torch relay6, inwhich the Olympic Flame symbolizes the transmission of Olympic ideals fromancient Greece to the modern world, was introduced as part of the openingceremony at the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin. In the relay the torch is lit inOlympia, Greece, and is carried over several weeks or months from there to thehost city by a series of runners. After the last runner has lit the OlympicFlame in the main Olympic stadium, the host country’shead of state declares the Games officially open, and doves are released tosymbolize the hope of world peace.

　　歷屆奧林匹克運動會都有一些儀式，其中許多儀式都強調(diào)國際友誼以及和平合作的主題。開幕式必定有各參與國的入場式，即來自各個國家的運動隊作為整個隊伍的一部分步入主體育場。希臘代表隊總是首先進入會場，這是為了紀念現(xiàn)代奧運會的起源。東道主的隊伍總是最后進入會場。開幕式已經(jīng)逐步演變成一個復雜的包括音樂、演講以及絢麗奪目的化裝游行在內(nèi)的盛大儀式。人們渴望它的到來并踴躍參與。在1936年的柏林夏季奧運會開幕式上首次出現(xiàn)火炬接力。火炬上燃燒著的奧林匹克火焰象征著奧林匹克精神從古希臘代代相傳直到今天。在接力中，火炬首先在希臘的奧林匹亞被點燃，然后在接下來的幾個星期或幾個月中由若干長跑運動員接力傳遞到主辦城市。在最后一個長跑運動員點燃了奧林匹克主會場的奧運會火炬后，主辦國的國家首腦宣布奧運會正式開幕，然后信鴿放飛象征對世界和平的希望。

　　Twoother important ceremonial innovations had appeared earlier at the 1920 Gamesin Antwerp, Belgium. The Olympic Flag, with its five interlocking rings ofdifferent colors against a white background, was flown for the first time. Thefive rings represent unity among the nations of Africa, the Americas, Asia,Australia, and Europe. Another innovation occurring in 1920 was the firstreciting of the Olympic Oath, taken in the name of all the athletes by a memberof the host’s team. The oath asserts7 the athletes’ commitment to the ideals of sportsmanship in competition.