There is no other city in the world that has such a strong connection with the Olympic Games. Athens, the____1____city of the first modern Olympics in 1896, ____2____ into the limelight (焦点) again on March 30,2008 ____3____ the flame for that year’s Olympic Games was ____4____ over to the Beijing Organizing Committee. The Olympic flame was ____5____ on March 24,2008 in Olympia, a place in southwestern Greece. In the ritual (仪式), actresses ____6____ as ancient Greek priestesses (女祭司) used a ____7____ to light the flame. The flame then was carried to the site of public ceremony and handed to the first ____8____, Greek taekwondo(跆拳道) athlete Alexandros Nikolaidis. He carried the flame to the ____9____ of the monument of Baron de Courbertin, the ____10____ of the modern Olympic Games.
Athens was named ____11____ Athena, the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology (神话). It is also one of the world’s oldest cities with a history ____12____ at least 3,000 years. Athens was the ____13____ of arts, learning and philosophy in ancient times and is widely ____14____ to as the cradle (摇篮) of Western civilization.
The heritage of history is ____15____ evident in the city, represented by a number of ancient monuments and works of art. The Acropolis (卫城) is the city’s key ____16____. It overlooks the ____17____ city and dominates the skyline (天际). The main temple of the goddess Athena, ____18____ on the Acropolis, was Parthenon (帕台农神庙). And the National Archaeological Museum, the ____19____ important museum in Greece, holds a priceless ____20____ of treasure, with artifacts (古器物) of almost every culture, which flourished (繁荣) in the Mediterranean (地中海).
1. A. host B. traveled C. ancient D. oldest
2. A. made B. got C. came D. became
3. A. where B. when C. as D. that
4. A. carried B. gave C. handed D. passed
5. A. fired B. lit C. burned D. started
6. A. worn B. acted C. performed D. dressed
7. A. mirror B. reflection C. cup D. pan
8. A. priestesses B. founder C. runner D. player
9. A. foot B. top C. front D. back
10. A. founder B. inventor C. discoverer D. finder
11. A. by B. after C. on D. in
12. A. dating B. spanning C. crossing D. covering
13. A. center B. city C. place D. site
14. A. regarded B. mentioned C. referred D. considered
15. A. yet B. however C. therefore D. still
16. A. attraction B. scene C. entrance D. platform
17. A. complete B. whole C. full D. total
18. A. set B. lay C. built D. laid
19. A. most B. more C. least D. less
20. A. gathering B. storage C. jewel D. collection
