2014考研英语阅读练习：奥运仪式_跨考网

　　Ceremonies of the OlympicGames

　　奥运仪式

　　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.

　　历届奥林匹克运动会都有一些仪式，其中许多仪式都强调国际友谊以及和平合作的主题。开幕式必定有各参与国的入场式，即来自各个国家的运动队作为整个队伍的一部分步入主体育场。希腊代表队总是首先进入会场，这是为了纪念现代奥运会的起源。东道主的队伍总是最后进入会场。开幕式已经逐步演变成一个复杂的包括音乐、演讲以及绚丽夺目的化装游行在内的盛大仪式。人们渴望它的到来并踊跃参与。在1936年的柏林夏季奥运会开幕式上首次出现火炬接力。火炬上燃烧着的奥林匹克火焰象征着奥林匹克精神从古希腊代代相传直到今天。在接力中，火炬首先在希腊的奥林匹亚被点燃，然后在接下来的几个星期或几个月中由若干长跑运动员接力传递到主办城市。在最后一个长跑运动员点燃了奥林匹克主会场的奥运会火炬后，主办国的国家首脑宣布奥运会正式开幕，然后信鸽放飞象征对世界和平的希望。

　　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.