The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games

In 776 BC the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honour the Greek's chief God, Zeus. The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youth. Therefore contests in running, jumping, discus and javelin throwing, boxing and horse and chariot racing were held in individual cities, and the winners competed every four years at Mount Olympus. Winners were greatly honoured by having olive wreaths placed on their heads and having poems sung about their deeds. Originally these were held as games of friendship, and any wars in progress were halted to allow the games take place.

The Greeks attached so much importance to these games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called "Olympiads".

In 394 AD the Games were abolished and were not renewed until many centuries later.

Renewal of the Games in 1896, when the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens due to the French educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The first Olympiad was held in Athens and followed the pattern set by the ancient Olympic Games. Some events, like marathon race, have been added, and the inclusion of women, and also the series of winter sports. Otherwise, the framework elaborated for the first Games, has stood the test of time. The modern Games have maintained the original ideal of amateurism.

In 1896 the International Olympic Committee was set up. It is the central policy-making body of the Olympic movement, formed by the representatives of participant countries. The IOC makes the ultimate decision as to the program of the Games, the number of participants and as to where the Games of the next Olympiad are to be held. The Games are allocated to a city, not to a country. Over 150 countries are represented in the IOC at present.

Much importance is attached to opening ceremony. At the opening of the games the International Olympic Committee appears as host. The national anthem of the host country is played, and all the participants march past the Lodge of Honour. The Head of the host country declares the Games open, then the Olympic flag is raised and the Olympic hymn is sung. Then the Olympic flame is lit that will burn up to the end of the Games. The Olympic torch has been carried from Olympus by torchbearers, one for each kilometre, about 340 in all.

The Olympic flag has five coloured interlaced rings, representing the five parts of the world, on a white background. The motto of the Olympic Games is "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stronger).

Russia joined the Olympic movement in 1952. Since then, Soviet sportsmen and sportswomen have collected a great lot of gold, silver and bronze medals, not to mention the numerous Olympic and world records they have broken. In 1980 Moscow hosted the 22 Olympic Games.

The importance of the Olympic Games was well expressed by Coubertin: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle."

«WHAT IS A COMPUTER?»

The term computer is used to describe a device made up of a combination of electronic and electromechanical (part electronic and part mechanical) components. Computer has no intelligence by itself and is referred to as hardware. A computer system is a combination of five elements:

• Hardware

• Software

• People

• Procedures

• Data/information

When one computer system is set up to communicate with another computer system, connectivity becomes the sixth system element. In other words, the manner in which the various individual systems are connected — for example, by phone lines, microwave transmission, or satellite — is an element of the total computer system.

Software is the term used to describe the instructions that tell the hardware how to perform a task. Without software instructions, the hardware doesn't know what to do. People, however, are the most important component of the computer system: they create the computer software instructions and respond to the procedures that those instructions present.

The basic job of the computer is the processing of information. Computers accept information in the form of instruction called a program and characters called data to perform mathematical and logical operations, and then give the results. The data is raw material while information is organized, processed, refined and useful for decision making. Computer is used to convert data into information. Computer is also used to store information in the digital form.

The glimpses of London

London is one of the biggest and most interesting cities in the world. London is the city of the great contrasts. Its western part is the richest part of the town with cosy mansions, beautiful avenues, shops, restaurants and hotels. The East End is the district in habited by the workers. Industry is chiefly found is that part of city, gray with soot and smoke.

The heart of London is the city – its commercial and business centre. Here is situated the tower of London. The tower of London was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as Fortress, a royal residence and prison. A twenty minutes walk from the Tower will take you to another history building – St. Paul’s Cathedral, the greatest of English churches. It was build by famous English architect, Sir Christopher Wren. In one of the towers hangs one of the largest bells in the world, Great Paul, weight about 17,5 tones. Not far away in Westminister, another important part of London when most of the government buildings are situated is Westminister Abbey. Across the road is Westminister Palace, the seat of the British Parliament. One of its towers contains the largest clock in the country and famous bell Big Ban that strikes every quarter of an hour.

If now we walk along Whitehall, we shall soon come to Trafalgar Square. In the middle of it stands Nelson monument – a tall column with the figure of Nelson at its top. The column is guarded by four bronze lions.

Not faraway is the British Museum – the biggest museum in London with its famous Library.

The are many beautiful parks in London. The most famous is the Hyde Park or the Park as Londoners call it. There they rest, sit on the grass and ride horses. But it would be better to visit London and see all its beauty by your own eyes.