I variant
Read the text and choose the correct answer
Women and the Olympic Games
The Olympic Games come from Ancient Greece. The first historical records of the Games date back to 776 ВС and that year is usually considered the starting point of the long sports tradition. There is little reliable evidence about that distant year and lots of our common knowledge on the Ancient Olympic Games is based on legends and old written records. In most cases the records don't present the original texts but translations. The original text has obviously been rewritten and changed several times from one language to another by different people. The "chained" translation cannot be free of errors and mistakes - sometimes the translators' personal attitude affected the way the facts were described, sometimes they failed to understand the real meaning of the text and presented their mistaken version as fact.
What is common knowledge is that women were forbidden to take part in the Ancient Olympic Games. More than that, an Ancient Greek traveller wrote in his book that all women were banned from Olympia during the time when the Games were held. According to him, the law was very strict about that and death was the punishment for disobedience. However, there is no any evidence that any woman was ever punished. Surprisingly, in his other book, the same traveller mentioned that unmarried women were allowed to watch the Games, and in Sparta women were not only spectators but were active participants in the sports competitions too!
There were games especially for women - the Heraean Games - where men were allowed as spectators and supporters but never as athletes. The games were held in Olympia in the Olympic year, prior to the Olympic Games. The women's Games honoured Hera, a powerful goddess of Olympus. Originally, it was only a foot-race: young women ran barefoot in the Ancient Olympic Stadium. Then the list of the competitions was increased. The winners were awarded olive crowns and their portraits or even statues were placed in Hera's temple. They were also given valuable presents, cattle, containers with olive oil and were publicly praised in their hometowns.
Romans invaded Greece in the 2nd century ВС. They considered competing in public disgraceful and they didn't like the idea that the competitions were held to honour the ancient gods and goddesses. Romans prohibited the Heraean Games and then the Olympic Games too. Fortunately, the idea of the Olympic Games was not forgotten. In the 19th century it was brought back to life. However, this time the Games were seen as an international event and they were supposed to be held each time in a different country.
The first Modern Olympic Games of 1896 were not open to women. However, only four years later, in 1900, the first ladies' tennis competition was included in the Olympic programme in Paris and Charlotte Cooper became the winner and entered history as the first female Olympic champion.
1. The ancient texts about the Olympic Games have NEVER been translated into other languages.
a) True b) False c) Not stated
2. The author says that the written documents about the Ancient Olympic Games are NOT accurate.
a) True b) False c) Not stated
3. During the Olympic Games the women of Olympia lived in tents outside the town.
a) True b) False c) Not stated
4. All participants of the Heraean competitions were female.
a) True b) False c) Not stated
5. The Greeks arranged the Heraean Games in Olympia.
a) True b) False c) Not stated
6. Names of the champions of the Heraean games were kept secret.
a) True b) False c) Not stated
7. The first Olympic games of modern times were held in Greece.
a) True b) False c) Not stated
8. Women have participated in all Modern Olympic Games.
a) True b) False c) Not stated
II . Choose the correct answer
We have never met before, ________ we?
have not b) have c) are
They have two ___________.
children b) child c) childrens
There are a lot of alligators in _______ Nile.
a b) - c) the
_______ too much sugar in the tea. I can't drink it.
a) There is b) There are c) There was
I want those books. Please, give _______ to me.
they b) them c) these
Do you know __________ here?
some b) somebody c) anybody
Why _____ you absent yesterday?
did b)were c) are
Our baby ______ walk in a few weeks.
can b) will be able to c) may
This way is _______ than the other.
safe b) ) safer c) safest
How much money do you spend _____ food each month?
at b) to c) on
He will translate the text if he _________ a dictionary.
has b) will have c) has had
The TV broke down when we _________ the news.
watched b) are watching c) were watching
They ______ each other since 1992.
know b) have known c) had known
I _______ for you for half an hour.
am waiting b) waited c) have been waiting
Ann told her friend that she_________ the competition.
had won b) win c) has won
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