The Olympic Games, which originated in ancient Greece, is the most distinguished sporting event in the world. Once every four years, the utmost athletes from all around are lured to gather together and spare no efforts to compete against each other and try to win a medal for the country that they represent. Frankly speaking, that was virtually all I knew about the world-famous Olympic Games before I had read a book entitled The Olympics published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. However, I found even more philosophy beyond just winning medals from reading the book, which was beyond my imagination and considerably inspiring.
Someone once said, “Were everybody on earth involved in some kind of sport, our world would be free of war for long.” Starting from three thousand years ago, the ancient Olympic Games has long been an event not only for competition but also for peace. In ancient times, no war was allowed between the cities during the Games, which was rather surprising to me since I could hardly imagine warriors actally putting down their weapons and give a break for peace. The precious tradition of peace continued: I would never fail to recall the scene of the opening ceremonies when North and South Korean athletes entering the stadium with their hands held together. The two neighboring countries that used to be enemies are no longer enemies during the Games. Instead they became friends. Speaking of the XX Athens Olympics, perhaps most people would have the same opinion that the most noable part of the opening ceremony arrived when Iraqi and Afghan representatives showed up. These two unfortunate nations, the people of which have undergone innumerable wars, are coming back again to take their own responsibility in world sports after recent invasions by America. The fearless people of Iraq and Afghanistan are once more sharing the spirit of the Games with people from the rest of the world.
There is another story in this book that makes me deep in thoughts. There is no doubt that the most unusual Olympic Games ever in history is the 1936 Olympics held in Germany, which was then ruled by the Nazi Party. Led by Adolf Hitler, the Nazi believed that the so-called Aryan people were superior to all others in all aspects. They looked down upon Jews and blacks, the latter of which was a major constitution of the United States Olympic team. Despite the barrier that faced him, the African American Jesse Owens, who was a most outstanding runner and jumper, did all that he could and finally won gold medals for his country and went home a hero. This reveals another fact that no power on earth is able to hinder the sacred Olympic Games. For all participants, no matter what their gender, race, nationalities and backgrounds are, equality is distributed among every one who observes the Game’s rules.
At the XX Athens Olympics, our Chinese team did extraordinarily well. We ranked second on the medal lists for the first time in history. In my opinion, however, we should not only concentrate on the figure of medals; instead the strength and perseverance of those who failed to get any medals ought to be highly cherished. Whether ever success or failure, whether ever cheer or tear, whether ever medal or not, the never-gave-up spirits of athletes are always motivating us. I believe in the year 2008, the world will focus all their attention to Beijing, China, where the glory of the Games will continue to thrive forever!
An Olympic athlete must be strong not only in body, but also in mind. They have to train for years to achieve the necessary strength and control over their sports to compete in the Olympics. This requires great discipline and self-sacrifice. Similarly, the Olympic athletes have to train their minds in order to compete under extreme mental pressure. In other words, and Olympic athlete must be in top condition both mentally and physically.
Speaking good English also requires great discipline and self-sacrifice. If you want to speak good English, you must be mentally and physically strong just like an Olympic athlete.
【参考译文】
一名奥林匹克运动员不但要有强健的体魄，而且要有良好的心理素质。为了在奥运会上一争高低，他们必须训练多年达到竞技必需的体能要求以及对项目的掌控程度。这需要严格的纪律和伟大的自我牺牲精神。同样，为了能在高强度的`心理压力下进行比赛，奥林匹克运动员们必须锻炼他们的心理素质。换句话说，一位奥林匹克运动员要同时具备顶尖的身体素质和心理素质。
要说一口流利的英语同样需要严格的纪律和伟大的自我牺牲精神。如果你想说一口流利的英语，你就必须像奥林匹克运动员一样拥有强健的体魄和过硬的心理素质。
The Olympic Games， which originated in ancient Greece， is the most distinguished sporting event in the world。 Once every four years， the utmost athletes from all around are lured to gather together and spare no efforts to compete against each other and try to win a medal for the country that they represent。 Frankly speaking， that was virtually all I knew about the world-famous Olympic Games before I had read a book entitled The Olympics published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press。 However， I found even more philosophy beyond just winning medals from reading the book， which was beyond my imagination and considerably inspiring。
Someone once said， “Were everybody on earth involved in some kind of sport， our world would be free of war for long。” Starting from three thousand years ago， the ancient Olympic Games has long been an event not only for competition but also for peace。 In ancient times， no war was allowed between the cities during the Games， which was rather surprising to me since I could hardly imagine warriors actally putting down their weapons and give a break for peace。 The precious tradition of peace continued: I would never fail to recall the scene of the opening ceremonies when North and South Korean athletes entering the stadium with their hands held together。 The two neighboring countries that used to be enemies are no longer enemies during the Games。 Instead they became friends。 Speaking of the XX Athens Olympics， perhaps most people would have the same opinion that the most noable part of the opening ceremony arrived when Iraqi and Afghan representatives showed up。 These two unfortunate nations， the people of which have undergone innumerable wars， are coming back again to take their own responsibility in world sports after recent invasions by America。 The fearless people of Iraq and Afghanistan are once more sharing the spirit of the Games with people from the rest of the world。
There is another story in this book that makes me deep in thoughts。 There is no doubt that the most unusual Olympic Games ever in history is the 1936 Olympics held in Germany， which was then ruled by the Nazi Party。 Led by Adolf Hitler， the Nazi believed that the so-called Aryan people were superior to all others in all aspects。 They looked down upon Jews and blacks， the latter of which was a major constitution of the United States Olympic team。 Despite the barrier that faced him， the African American Jesse Owens， who was a most outstanding runner and jumper， did all that he could and finally won gold medals for his country and went home a hero。 This reveals another fact that no power on earth is able to hinder the sacred Olympic Games。 For all participants， no matter what their gender， race， nationalities and backgrounds are， equality is distributed among every one who observes the Game’s rules。
At the XX Athens Olympics， our Chinese team did extraordinarily well。 We ranked second on the medal lists for the first time in history。 In my opinion， however， we should not only concentrate on the figure of medals; instead the strength and perseverance of those who failed to get any medals ought to be highly cherished。 Whether ever success or failure， whether ever cheer or tear， whether ever medal or not， the never-gave-up spirits of athletes are always motivating us。 I believe in the year 2008， the world will focus all their attention to Beijing， China， where the glory of the Games will continue to thrive forever!
