The Olympics are an internationalathleticcompetitiondesigned to spread peace and friendship around the world. An important part of the opening ceremonies is the lighting of theOlympicflameand the torch relay.
The tradition of the Olympic flame dates back thousands of years to ancient Greece. The ancient Greeks considered fire apureand sacred element that helped humans evolve. In modern days, the Olympic flame is lit through an ancient method with the light of the sun in Olympia, Greece.
The addition of the torch relay didn’t come until the 1930s. It was the idea of Dr. Carl Diem, an organizer of the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. Diemdreamed ofhaving more than 3,000 runners from different nations pass the flame across thousands of miles. The relay transported the flame from Olympia, Greece, to thesiteof the Olympic Games in Berlin.
At that time, the Nazis had gained power in Germany and wanted to use Diem’s idea to glorify their party. They organized the first torch relay ceremony before the 1936 Summer Games. Three years later, World War IIbroke outand the Olympics were canceled for over adecade. At London’s 1948 Olympics, the torch relay became a symbol of the return of peace.
單字片語整理
Words in Use
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athletic
[æθˋlɛtɪk]
a. 運動員的，擅長運動的
There was an athletic meet on our campus yesterday.
昨天我們校園有場運動會。
高中 Level 4
●
competition
[͵kɑmpəˋtɪʃən]
n. 競爭（不可數）；比賽（可數）；（生意上競爭的） 同行（集合名詞，不可數，之前置定冠詞 the）
Thirty students are incompetition with each other for the tennis championship.
30 名學生競相爭奪網球比賽冠軍。
Connie is the youngest contestant in the swimming competition.
康妮是游泳比賽中最年輕的參賽者。
Our prices are always lower than those of the competition.
我們的價格總是比同行來得低。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
flame
[flem]
n. 火焰
vi. 燃燒
=
fire
=
arouse
The barn was already in flames by the time the fire engine arrived.
等到消防車抵達時，整個穀倉已陷在一片火海中。
Mary’s eyes flamed with envy when she saw her friend’s designer purse.
瑪莉看到她朋友的名牌包時，眼裡滿是羨慕。
高中 Level 3
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pure
[pjʊr]
a. 純粹的；純潔的
The pajamas are made of pure cotton.
這件睡衣是純棉製的。
The water is clean and pure. It has been tested over and over again.
這水質清潔而純淨，它可是經過一再測試的。
高中 Level 3
●
site
[saɪt]
n. 地點，位置；網站
vt. 使位於，使設立於
=
locate
=
location
=
website
=
situate
There were several people at the site of the accident helping the survivors.
意外發生的現場有好幾個人正在幫忙搶救生還者。
There were several people at the scene of the accident helping the survivors.
意外發生的現場有好幾個人正在幫忙搶救生還者。
Three friends founded the site youtube.com in February 2005.
三位好友於 2005 年 2 月創立了 YouTube 網站。
The new office building will be sited near the train station.
這棟新辦公大樓將位於火車站附近。
Mr. Johnson is going to site his new factory in that area.
強森先生將把他的新工廠設立在那個區域。
多益橘色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
decade
[ˋdɛked]
n. 10 年
The company has been in business for threedecades.
這間公司已經營運 30 年了。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 3
●
sacred
[ˋsekrɪd]
a. 神聖的
Cows are considered to be sacred animals in India.
牛在印度被視為是神聖的動物。
多益金色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
●
evolve
[ɪˋvɑlv]
vi. 進化 ; 發展為
The artist ’s idea for the masterpiece evolved from a casual conversation with a neighbor.
這名藝術家對這傑作的構想是從他和鄰居一段隨興的對話演變來的。
Through months of teamwork, our idea finally evolved into a feasible plan.
藉由數個月的團隊合作，我們的想法終於化為可行的計畫。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
organizer
[ˋɔrgə͵naɪzɚ]
n. . 籌辦人
=
organize
The journalist had an interview with the organizer of the trade show and wrote an article in the newspaper to promote the events.
這記者採訪了此貿易展的籌辦人，並在報紙上寫了篇文章來宣傳此展覽的活動。
高中 Level 6
●
glorify
[ˋglɔrə͵faɪ]
vt. 讚揚,使輝煌
Practical Phrases
●
dream of + N/V-ing
夢想（成為 / 擁有）……
Keith dreamed of being rich and having a big house.
凱斯的夢想是變得有錢和有一棟大房子。
●
break out
（戰爭或疾病等）爆發
Should a nuclear war break out, it might be the end of the world.
如果核戰爆發，那恐怕會是世界末日。
