A free interactive reading comprehension for Year 5 KS2 pupils about the Olympic Games. Read the passage, then answer questions, match vocabulary, practise grammar and complete a creative writing task.
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Read the passage carefully. You may look back at it at any time.
1The Olympic Games is the biggest sporting event in the world. Athletes from almost every country come together every four years to compete in hundreds of different sports, from swimming and gymnastics to athletics and cycling. The Games have a long history that stretches back over 2,500 years. The ancient Greeks held their own version of the Olympics at a place called Olympia, where athletes competed in events such as running, wrestling and discus throwing. These ancient Games were held in honour of the Greek god Zeus and continued for nearly 1,200 years before they were eventually stopped.
2The modern Olympic Games began in Athens, Greece in 1896, thanks to a French educator called Pierre de Coubertin. He believed that sport could bring people from different nations together and encourage friendship and peace. Just 14 countries took part in those first modern Games, but today more than 200 nations send athletes to compete. Since 1896, the Summer Olympics have been held every four years, with gaps only during the First and Second World Wars. A separate Winter Olympics, held in a different host city, was introduced in 1924 for sports such as skiing, ice skating and bobsleigh.
3The Olympic Games has several well-known traditions and symbols. The five interlocking rings, in blue, yellow, black, green and red, represent the five continents of the world joined together in competition. The Olympic flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, and carried by relay runners all the way to the host city, where it burns throughout the Games. Athletes who win their events receive medals: gold for first place, silver for second and bronze for third. The Olympic motto is three Latin words: Citius, Altius, Fortius, which mean Faster, Higher, Stronger.
4Becoming an Olympic athlete requires years of hard work and dedication. Most competitors begin training in their sport as young children and practise for many hours every day. They follow strict training programmes, eat carefully planned diets and work closely with coaches and sports scientists. Even with all this preparation, only the very best athletes in the world qualify to compete at the Olympics. For many athletes, simply being chosen to represent their country is considered one of the greatest honours of their sporting career.
5The Olympics is about more than just winning medals. The Games celebrate three core values: excellence, respect and friendship. Excellence means doing your best, even when it is difficult. Respect means treating other athletes, officials and supporters with fairness and courtesy. Friendship means building connections between people from different backgrounds and cultures. The Paralympics, which takes place shortly after the Olympics in the same host city, celebrates the achievements of athletes with disabilities and is equally important in showing what the human spirit can achieve.
Statement A: The Winter Olympics was introduced in 1924.
Statement B: The ancient Greek Olympics were held to honour the god Apollo.
Match each word from the passage to its correct meaning. Click a word, then click its definition.