Gold For Canada As Olympics Ends, BBC, Words In The News

Gold for Canada as Olympics End

Adapted from BBC, Words in the News, 1 March 2010.

Reporter: Ian Gunn



The flame was put out and the organizers were praised as the Olympic games in Vancouver came to a close. But the real excitement was provided by Canada’s men’s ice-hockey team winning the final gold medal of the games.



The ceremony was marked by Canadians making gentle fun of themselves. In a nod to a glitch in the opening ceremony, part of the Olympic cauldron which couldn’t be lit two weeks ago was set alight to kick off the closing. The ceremony also featured a comic parade of Canadian stereotypes including Mounties, canoes and moose-antler hats for members of the audience.



In his closing remarks IOC ( International Olympics Committee) President Jacques Rogge called the games ‘excellent’ and ‘very friendly’ and said the Canadian organizers had done an outstanding job.



The head of Vancouver’s organizing committee received a deafening cheer from the 60,000 spectators as he acknowledged Canada’s ice-hockey team that won the final gold medal of the games shortly before the ceremony. John Furlong also said the games had lifted the Canadian mood in a way no one could have anticipated.



The Canadian officials handed the Olympic flag to organizers of the next Winter Olympics in Sochi who invited the world to Russia in 2014 with simultaneous performances inside the Canadian stadium and from Sochi itself.



Part A: Write TRUE or FALSE



1. During the ceremony, the Canadians were laughing and smiling at things about themselves. __________________

2. There was a small problem in the opening ceremony . ___________________

3. There was a parade of Canadian police officers. ____________

4. Jacques Rogge was the President of Canada. __________

5. Head of Vancouver’s organizing committee received a cold welcome from the spectators. _____________

6. The ice-hockey team won a silver medal. ______________

7. The audience wore moose-antler hats. ___________

8. The next winter games will be held in Sochi. __________

9. Sochi is in Russia. _____________

10. The next winter Olympics is in five years’ time. _________







Part B: Vocabulary Matching

Match the sentences with the words given below.



A. making gentle fun of themselves B. a nod to

C. a glitch in D. cauldron

E. to kick off F. Mounties

G. moose-antler hats H. a deafening cheer

I. lifted the Canadian mood J. anticipated



1. an acknowledgment of, in recognition of.

__________________________________________________________

2. smiling or laughing at things about themselves that others find funny.

__________________________________________________________

3. a small problem or fault.

__________________________________________________________

4. to start, to begin

_________________________________________________________

5. hats that have flat horns on them like those of a large type of deer found in

North America.

_________________________________________________________

6. Canadian police officers who are well known for their colourful uniforms and their use of horses rather than motor vehicles.

_________________________________________________________

7. expected, predicted

________________________________________________________

8. an extremely loud sound made by a crowd of people to show that they are very pleased.

________________________________________________________

9. made the Canadians feel happier

_______________________________________________________

10. very large, round metal pot that is used on fires, here, to hold the Olympic flame.

_______________________________________________________



ANSWERS

Part A

1. true 2. true 3. true 4. false 5. false 6. false 7. true 8. true 9. true 10. false

Part B

1. a nod 2. making gentle fun of themselves 3. a glitch in 4. to kick off 5. moose-antler hats 6. Mounties 7. anticipated 8. a defeaning cher 9. lifted the Canadian mood 10. cauldron