Can you answer these questions about the Olympic Games

Fifteen years ago, on a hot summer evening in my hometown, I turned on the TV and got to know that Beijing would be the host city for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

I saw thousands of Chinese people screaming, crying, and weeping in happiness for this good news.

"Mom," I said to my mother, "I want to be a volunteer for the 2008 Olympic Games! "

At that time, I was only 16 years old and just finished my entrance examination to high school.

Seven years after that summer, I stood at the stadium where saw modern pentathlon, as a volunteer for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Today is the International Olympic Day, and let's take a look at something you might not know about this great event for all the people in the world.

 

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Q: If you are a painter, can you compete at the Olympic Games?

A: Yes, there were art competitions at Olympics from 1912 to 1948. The winners would also get medals. But later the competetions were dropped.

 

Athens in Greece. [Photo/IC]

Q: When were the first modern Olympic Games?

A: The first Olympic Games were held in Athens in Greece on April 6 to 15 in 1896. Some 241 athletes from 14 nations in the world attended the game. However, women were not allowed to participate in the games at that time. Despite the event being held in spring, it was still called the Summer Olympic Games.

London. [Photo/IC]

Q: Which countries hosted the Olympic Games twice or more than twice?

A: In the past 120 years, Greece, France, Sweden and the US held the Games twice. And London is the only city in the world that witnessed this great event three times, in 1908, 1948 and 2012.

Paris. [Photo/IC]

Q: When did women first participate in the Olympic Games?

A: The 1900 Paris Olympic Games is the first event at which women were allowed to compete. Still, some countries did not allow females to attend the game. It was only in the London Olympic Games in 2012 that each country delegation had female athletes.

The first Olymic mascot. [Photo/IC]

Q: What's the name of the first Olympic mascot and when/where did it appear?

A: Since the 1972 Munich Olympic Games in West Germany mascots started to appear. The first mascot is a dachshund with a long body and short legs. Its name was Waldi. All the mascots were inspired by the animals or traditions of the host nations.

Five mascots for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. [Photo/IC]

Q: Which Olympic Games had the largest numbers of mascots?

A: The number of mascots for each Olympic Games varies. Beijing 2008 Olympic Games had the largest number: five official mascots. Their color are the five colors of the Olympic rings.

Olympic rings. [Photo/IC]

Q: Why are the colors for the Olympic rings blue, yellow, red, green and black?

A: These five colors are the common colors on national flags of the competing nations.

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Q: Continent that never held an Olympic Games?

A: Africa and Antartica.

Liu Changchun. [Photo/IC]

Q: Who was the first Chinese to attend the Olympic Games for the first time?

A: In 1932, Liu Changchun became the first Chinese athlete to compete at the Olympics. He did not get any medals, yet as the first Chinese Olympic athlete, he will be remembered forever.

China's first gold medal. [Photo/IC]

Q: Who won the first gold medal for China?

A: Xu Haifeng won the first gold medal for China at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.

Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. [Photo/IC]

Q: When are the next Olympic Games?

A: The upcoming Summer Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro from August 8 to 21 this year. This is the first time the Olympic Games are to be held in South America.