The History of the Olympic Games

Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)

Content Objective: Students will understand how the Olympic Games began in ancient Greece, why they were banned, and how they were revived in the modern era.

Language Objective: Students will practice forming and using the passive voice across different tenses (past simple, present perfect, present simple).

---

1. Reading Section

The Olympic Games were first held in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BCE, and for centuries they were considered the greatest sporting event in the ancient world. Every four years, athletes gathered in Olympia to compete in honor of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods.

In the earliest Games, only one event was held: a short footrace called the stade. Over time, more events were added, including wrestling, boxing, and chariot racing. Athletes were required to compete without clothing, and the only prize awarded was a simple wreath made of olive leaves. Still, a victory at Olympia was treated as an enormous honor, and champions were celebrated across Greece for the rest of their lives.

The ancient Games were held for almost twelve centuries. Eventually, though, they were banned. In 393 or 394 CE, the Roman emperor Theodosius I outlawed the Games because they were closely tied to pagan religion, and Christianity had become the official religion of the empire. After that, the Olympics were not held again for nearly 1,500 years.

The idea of a modern Olympics was revived by a French educator named Pierre de Coubertin. He believed that international sport could bring nations closer together and reduce the risk of war. His proposal was not taken seriously at first, but in 1894, a group of delegates from several countries was gathered at the Sorbonne in Paris, and the International Olympic Committee was founded.

Two years later, in 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens. Around 280 athletes from 12 nations were welcomed to the city, and 43 events were held over several days. Since then, the Games have been hosted by cities all over the world, and thousands of athletes are brought together every four years to compete, just as they were in ancient Olympia.

---

2. Vocabulary Section

Word / Phrase	Meaning	Example
outlaw	to make something illegal	Emperor Theodosius I outlawed the Games.
pagan	relating to old religions with many gods, not Christianity	The Games were closely tied to pagan religion.
wreath	a circular decoration made of leaves or flowers	The only prize awarded was a wreath made of olive leaves.
delegate	a person sent to represent a country or group at a meeting	Delegates from several countries were gathered at the Sorbonne.
proposal	a plan or suggestion presented for others to consider	His proposal was not taken seriously at first.
host (v.)	to hold an event and welcome guests	The Games have been hosted by cities all over the world.
honor (n.)	great respect or a source of pride	A victory at Olympia was treated as an enormous honor.
empire	a large group of countries or states ruled by one leader	Christianity had become the official religion of the empire.

---

3. Example Sentences (Target Grammar in Use)

• The Olympic Games were first held in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BCE.
• Athletes were required to compete without clothing.
• The Games were banned by the Roman emperor Theodosius I.
• The idea of a modern Olympics was revived by Pierre de Coubertin.
• The International Olympic Committee was founded in 1894.
• The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.

---

4. Grammar Section

The Passive Voice

We use the passive voice when the action itself is more important than who performed it, or when we don’t know — or don’t need to say — who did the action. Form: subject + be (in the correct tense) + past participle (+ by + agent, if mentioned).

Tense	Form	Example
Past simple passive	was/were + past participle	The Games were banned in 394 CE.
Present perfect passive	has/have been + past participle	The Games have been hosted by cities worldwide.
Present simple passive	is/are + past participle	Athletes are brought together every four years.

Quick Tip: Ask yourself, “Who or what is doing the action?” If that person or thing isn’t the focus of the sentence, the passive voice is probably the better choice.

---

5. Comprehension Questions

A. True or False

1. The first Olympic Games were held in Rome.
2. Ancient athletes competed without clothing.
3. The ancient Games were banned by Pierre de Coubertin.
4. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896.

B. Short Answer

5. What was the prize given to ancient Olympic champions?
6. Why did Emperor Theodosius I ban the ancient Games?
7. What did Pierre de Coubertin believe international sport could achieve?
8. How many nations took part in the first modern Olympics?

C. Fill in the Blank / Transform

9. Active: “The Romans banned the ancient Games in 394 CE.” → Passive: The ancient Games ______ by the Romans in 394 CE.
10. Active: “Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894.” → Passive: The International Olympic Committee ______ by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894.
11. Active: “Cities all over the world have hosted the Games.” → Passive: The Games ______ by cities all over the world.
12. Active: “The judges awarded the champions a wreath of olive leaves.” → Passive: The champions ______ a wreath of olive leaves.

---

---