【正文】 ni ng races or horse ri di ng events. Instead there are peti ti ons li ke ski i ng and i ce skati ng whi ch need snow and i ce. That’s why they’re cal ed the Wi nter O l ym pi cs. It’s in the Sum m er O l ym pi cs that you have the runni ng races, together wi th swimm ing, sai li ng and al l the team sports. P: I see. Earl i er you sai d that athl etes are i nvi ted from al over the worl d. Do you m ean the Greek worl d? O ur Greek ci ti es used to pete agai nst each other just for the honour of wi nni ng. N o other countri es coul d joi n in, nor coul d sl aves or women! L: N owadays any country can take part i f their athl etes are good enough. There are over 250 sports and each one has its own standard. Wom en are not onl y al owed, but pl ay a very im portant rol e i n gymnasti cs, athl eti cs, team sports and … P: Please wai t a mi nute! Al l those events, al l those countri es and even wom en taki ng part! Where are al l the athl etes housed? L: For each O l ym pi cs, a speci al vi l age i s buil t for them to l i ve i n, a m ai n recepti on buil ding, several stadi um s for peti ti ons, and a gym nasi um as wel l. P: That’s sounds very expansi ve. Does anyone want to host the O l ym pi c Gam es? L: As a m atter of fact, every country wants the opportuni ty. It’s a great responsi bi li ty but also a great honour to be chosen. There’s as m uch peti tions am ong countri es to host the O lym pi cs as to wi n Ol ym pi c m edals. The 2020 Ol ym pics wi l be hel d i n Bei ji ng. P: O h yes! You m ust be very proud. L: Certai nl y. And after that the 2020 Ol ym pics wi l be hel d i n London. They have already started pl anni ng for i t. A new vi l age for the athletes and al the stadi um s wil l be bui lt to the east of London. N ew medal s wil l be designed of course and … P: Di d you say m edal s? So even the ol ive wreath has been repl aced! O h dear! Do you pete for pri ze m oney too? L: N o, we don’t. It’s stil l al l about bei ng abl e to run faster, jum per hi gher and throw further. That’s the m otto of the O l ym pi cs, you know—― Swi fter, Hi gher and Stronger.‖ P: Wel , that’s a good news. H ow interesti ng! Thank you so m uch for your tim e. The story of Atl anta Atl anta was a Greek pri nces. She was very beauti ful and coul d run faster than any m an i n Greece. But she was not al l owed to run and wi n gl ory for hersel f i n the O l ym pi c Gam es. She was so angry that she sai d to her farther that she woul d not m ary anyone who coul d not run faster than her. H er father sai d that she m ust m arry, so Atlanta m ade a bargai n wi th him. She sai d to him, ― These are m y rul es. When a m an says he wants to m arry m e, I wi l run agai nst him . If he canot run as fast as m e, he wil l be kil l ed. N o one wi l be pardoned.‖ Many ki ngs and pri nces wanted to marry Atl anta, but when they heard of her rul es they knew i t was hopel es. So m any of them sadl y went hom e, but others stayed to run the race. There was a m an cal l ed H i ppom enes who was am azed when he heard of Atl anta’s rul es, ― Why are these m en so foli sh?‖ hethought. ― Why wil l they l et them sel ves be kil l ed because they canot run as fast as thi s pri ncess?‖ H owever, when he saw Atl anta e out of her house to run, H i ppom enes changed hi s mi nd. ― I wil l m arry Atl anta—or di e !― he sai d. The race started and al though the m an ran very fast, Atl anta ran faster. As Hi ppom enes watched he thought, ― H ow can I run as fast as Atl anta?‖ H e went to ask the Greek Godess of Love for hel p. She prom i sed to hel p him and gave hi m three gol den apples. She sai d, ― Throw an appl e i n front of Atl anta when she is runni ng past. When she stops to pi ck i t up, you wi l be abl e to run past her and wi n. ‖ H i ppom enes took the appl es and went to the Ki ng. H e sai d, ― I want to m arry Atl anta. ‖ The Ki ng was sad to see another m an di e, but Hi ppom enes sai d, ― I wi l m arry her – or di e!‖ So the race began. Three inspiri ng stori es about the Ol ym pi c Gam es 1. The ki nd Norwegi an There is a crosscountry ski ng race which i s part of the Wi nter O lym pi cs. In 2020 a Canadian ski er, Sara Rener, was taki ng part i n the croscountry fi nal when her l eft pole broke. Thi s was a serious probl em as she needed the pol e to hel p her travel qui ckl y through the dep snow. Imm edi atel y Bjornar H akensm oen , the coach of the N orwegian team, gave her another pol e. So Renner was abl e to get a sil ver m edal. H akensm oen sai d that he had onl y behaved as any god sportsm an shoul d, but Sara sai d that Hakensm oen had shown everybody the true meani ng of sport. 2. The Speci al Ol ym pi c athl ete For athl ete Eri c Wil li am s gol d m edals are ni ce, but good sportsmanship i s m ore im portant. Eri c has a l ow m ental abil ity but thi s does not stop him from taki ng apart i n the O lym pi cs. In 2020 Eri c peted in runni ng races and the long jump. He sai d, ― I’ ve been peti ng in the Speci al O l ym pi cs ever si nce I was at hi gh school . It’s real y a god experi ence. You get to m eet different athl etes and vol unteers and m ake al ki nds of fri ends. ― John Corbett, an anizer of the Speci al O l ym pi cs sai d, ― H e al ways does hi s best and has a wonderful tim e i n the progres. He trul y appreci ates al the peopl e around him who are tryi ng to hel p, and he m akes that appreci ati on known. ― Let’s hope Eric wins m ore m edals i n the next Speci al O l ym pi cs! 3. The stubborn Afri can In 1968 a Kenyan athl ete Ki p Kei no peted i n the 1500 m etres runni ng race. At that tim e he was very i l and i n great pai n. Al though he had reached the standard for the fi nal of the race he deci ded at fi rst not to take part. H owever, just before the race was goi ng to start he changed hi s mi nd. H e ran from hi s room and arri ved at the race track a few m inutes bef