No sporting event takes hold of the world"s attention and imagination like the Olympic Games. The football World Cup fascinates fans in Europe and South America: the baseball"s World Series is required viewing in North America: the World Table Tennis Championships attracts the most interest in Asia.
But the Olympics belong to the whole world. Now, after travelling to 17 countries over 108 years, the Summer Games are returning to Athens, the place where the first modern Olympics was held.
Participation in the Games is looked on not only as an achievement, but also as an honor. The 16 days between August 13 and 29 will see a record—202 countries compete, up from Sydney"s 199. Afghanistan is back, having been banned from Sydney because the Taliban government didn"t let women do sports. There is also a place for newcomers East Timer and Kiribati.
A total of 10,500 athletes will compete in 28 sports, watched by 53 million ticket-paying viewers as well as a television audience of 4 billion.
Athens is to use its rich history and culture to make the Olympics as special as possible. The Games will open with cycling events which start in front of the Parthenon and Acropolis monuments. The final event will be a historic men"s marathon following the original route run by Phidippides in 490 B.C. to bring news of victory over the Persians.
The ancient stadium at Olympia, first used for the Games nearly three centuries ago, will stage the shot put competitions. And the Panathenian Stadium, where the first modern Olympics was held, is to host the archery (射箭) events.
If the well-known ancient sites deliver a great sense of history to the Games, the 39 new venues add a modern touch to the city of Athens. The main Olympic stadium, with a giant glass and steel roof, is the landmark (标志) building of the Olympics.
"We believe that we will organize a "magical" Games," said Athens 2004 President Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki. "Our history with the Olympic Games goes back nearly 3,000 years, and Athens 2004 could be the best ever."
单选题
The World Table Tennis Championships attracts the most interest in Asian countries.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：亚洲各国人民对世界乒乓球锦标赛最感兴趣。由The World Table Tennis Championships定位到第一段的最后一部分：the World Table Tennis Championships attracts the most interest in Asia. 题干表述与原文基本一致，只是把Asia(亚洲)改成了Asian countries(亚洲国家)，故答案选A。
单选题
Participation in the Olympic Games is looked upon as an honor as well as an achievement.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：参加奥运会既被看做是一项成就，也是一种荣誉。由Participation in the Olympic Games定位到第三段第一句：Participation in the Games is looked on not only as an achievement, but also as an honor. 其中题干中的as well as代替了原文中的not only...but also...，属于同义替换，都是“不但……而且……”的意思。故答案选A。
单选题
Many state leaders will attend the opening ceremony.
单选题
The Games will open with cycling events because these events will take hold of the world"s attention.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：奥运会以自行车比赛开始，是因为自行车比赛会引起世界的关注。第五段第二句：The Games will open with cycling events which start in front of the Parthenon and Acropolis monuments. 由此可知，奥运会以自行车比赛开始，但是并未提到这样的安排是为了“引起世界的关注”。故答案选C。
单选题
The first modern Olympics was held nearly three centuries ago.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：第一届现代奥运会是在三个世纪前举行的。文章倒数第三段第一句：The ancient stadium at Olympia, first used for the Games nearly three centuries ago, will stage the shot put competitions. 位于奥林匹亚的、差不多在三个世纪前最早用于举行奥运会的古运动场将用于举行铅球比赛。这是最早举行奥运会的地方，但不是举行第一届现代奥运会的地方。故答案选B。
单选题
The Panathenian Stadium is the landmark building of Olympics.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：泛雅典体育场是奥运会的地标性建筑。我们可以在文中找到相关信息，倒数第二段：The main Olympic stadium，with a giant glass and steel roof, is the landmark(标志)building of the Olympics. 大玻璃、钢屋顶的奥林匹克主体育馆是奥运会的地标性建筑。题干所述的信息与原文不一致，故答案选B。
单选题
Athens 2004 has been proven to be the best Olympic Games.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：2004年雅典奥运会已证明是办得最好的奥运会。文章中最后一段最后一句：“Our history with the Olympic Games goes back nearly 3,000 years, and Athens 2004 could be the best ever.”依文章所用时态，雅典奥运会尚未召开，故答案选C。