Vocabulary

to evolve – еволюціонували

throughout – по всьому

clergyman – священик

to eliminate flaws – усунути недоліки

to change– змінювати

to dribble -- капати

principals – директор, гoлoва

the jump shot – кидок в стрибку

increasing – збільшення

NBA – Національна баскетбольна асоціація

the greatest players – найкращий гравець

officially gaining – офіційний набір

league - ліга

rules – правила

block-shots –“блоки ”

CYCLING

We often hear a saying «Don't invent a bicycle» about something simple and known for a long time. Really, the bicycle is old enough — more than a hundred years of age. Its first prototype appeared in 1791 in France. First bicycles looked odd: a large (about 1.5m high) front wheel with a cranked axle. The back wheel was usually smaller. Bicycles were made of iron and riding them was not comfortable because of shaking. They were even called «boneshakers». In 1868 rubber tires were invented, first solid, then pneumatic.

New types of bicycles appeared every year but only in 1885 people saw a model which looked like modern cycles. It had two almost equal wheels and a chain drive to the rear wheel. The frame of the cycle was diamond-shaped. This shape survived and became basic. The new machine looked more elegant than the old «spiders» which were soon abandoned. As time went by, new bicycles were invented — for two, three and even fifteen riders! The first bicycle race was held in 1868 in Paris. But the sport became popular only several decades later because bicycles were expensive and only rich people could afford them. By the end of the 19th century many factories produced thousands of bicycles which became cheap, so many people could practice cycling and take part in various competitions.

Cycling competitions are generally divided into road and track events. Both kinds are in the Olympic programmed. Olympic road events include individual and team races. Individual races' distances are different usually up to 200 kilometers. The winner is the first cyclist who passes over the finish line with his front wheel. In the team road event the teams start the contest with 2-4 minutes interval, and that team wins whose members get the best sum of timings. Track events take place on special cycling tracks which look like elongated stadiums with a sloping runway made of concrete, wood or plastics. Track events are very spectacular. The Olympic programmed includes 1 km sprint races, 1 km heat or time trial, individual pursuit and team pursuit over 4 km. Modern sport bicycles are very light but firm machines made of special metals. Cyclists wear jersey shirts with pockets on the back, tight knee-long woolen shorts, perforated shoes, a cap or a leather crash helmet and mitts on their hands.

Vocabulary

axle – вісь

to abandon – відмовлятися від,залишати,кидати

generally – зазвичай

elongated stadiums - подовжені стадіони

sloping — похилий

cycling tracks – велосипедні доріжки

cheap – дешевий

runway – тренувальна доріжка

concrete – бетон

«spiders» - павуки

expensive – дорогий

various competitions – різні конкурси

sprint races – спринтові змагання

jersey shirts – трикотажні футболки

THE HISTORY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Long ago ancient Greeks often waged wars. Small states suffered and lost much even if they did not take any side and stayed out of wars. The ruler of such a small state, Elis, wanted to live in peace with all neighbors. He was a good diplomat because his negotiations were successful and Elis was recognized a neutral state. To celebrate this achievement, he organized athletic games. In the beginning this feast lasted one day, but later a whole month was devoted to it. All wars and feuds were stopped by special heralds who rode in all directions of Greece. The games were held every four years in Olympia on the territory of Elis.

The first games which later were called the Olympic Games were held about a thousand years before our era. Usually the Olympic Games began before the middle of the summer. Best athletes arrived from many Greek states to Olympia to compete in running, long jumps, throwing of discus and javelin and wrestling. In the course of time fist fighting (boxing) and chariot races were also included in the Games. All athletes took an oath that they had been preparing well for the Games and promised to compete honestly and keep the rules of the sacred Olympics. The athletes took part in all kinds of competitions. Winners were called «olympionics», they were awarded olive wreaths and cups of olive oil. This tradition has survived.

In our time sportsmen often get cups and wreaths for winning the first place in sports competitions. The olympionics of ancient Greece became very popular. Best craftsmen were chosen to make honorary cups, many poets wrote and recited in public poems about the best athletes. Sculptors made their statues which were put up at the birthplace of the winners. The Olympic Games were accompanied by arts festivals. Poets recited their poems, singers sang hymns dancers danced and orators pronounced speeches — all this in honors of the sacred Games. Only men could take part in the Olympic Games. Women were not allowed even to watch the competitions at the stadium under the fear of death penalty. There was a single exception, when a woman coached her son and accompanied him to the stadium in men's clothes. That brave woman was spared the penalty because her son excelled in many events. Magnificent strong bodies inspired artists and sculptors. They painted wall pictures and made statues of marble and bronze, so now we can admire the corporal beauty of ancient and eternally young discus thrower, javelin bearer and others. The Olympic Games had been held for about eleven hundred years, until the emperor Theodosius banned them for religious reasons in 394 A. D.

The revival of the Olympic Games began long time afterwards, in 1892, when a young French teacher Pierre de Coubertin made a public speech before the Union of French sports clubs in Paris. At that time many people in many countries practiced various kinds of sports and games. They wanted to make friends and compete with sportsmen from other lands. Pierre de Coubertin understood the importance of sports which unified peoples of the world and served the cause of peace like in ancient time. On the 23rd of June 1894 the International Congress of amateur sportsmen made an important decision: to revive the Olympic Games and to establish the International Olympic Committee which would be responsible for the administration of the modern-Olympic Games. The first Committee consisted of 12 members. Now 82 members of the International Olympic Committee control the affairs of all member countries which joined the Olympic movement.