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    Ceremonies of the Olympic Games

    奧運儀式

    The Olympic Games have always included a number of ceremonies， many of which emphasize the themes of international friendship and peaceful cooperation. The opening ceremony has always included the parade1 of nations， in which the teams from each nation enter the main stadium as part of a procession. The Greek team always enters first， to commemorate2 the ancient origins of the modern Games， and the team of the host nation always enters last. The opening ceremony has evolved3 over the years into a complex extravaganza4， with music， speeches， and pageantry5. It is eagerly anticipated and well attended. The torch relay6， in which the Olympic Flame symbolizes the transmission of Olympic ideals from ancient Greece to the modern world， was introduced as part of the opening ceremony at the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin. In the relay the torch is lit in Olympia， Greece， and is carried over several weeks or months from there to the host city by a series of runners. After the last runner has lit the Olympic Flame in the main Olympic stadium， the host country‘s head of state declares the Games officially open， and doves are released to symbolize the hope of world peace.

    歷屆奧林匹克運動會都有一些儀式，其中許多儀式都強調(diào)國際友誼以及和平合作的主題。 開幕式必定有各參與國的入場式，即來自各個國家的運動隊作為整個隊伍的一部分步入主體育場。希臘代表隊總是首先進入會場，這是為了紀念現(xiàn)代奧運會的起源。東道主的隊伍總是比較后進入會場。開幕式已經(jīng)逐步演變成一個復雜的包括音樂、演講以及絢麗奪目的化裝游行在內(nèi)的盛大儀式。 人們渴望它的到來并踴躍參與。在1936年的柏林夏季奧運會開幕式上首次出現(xiàn)火炬接力。火炬上燃燒著的奧林匹克火焰象征著奧林匹克精神從古希臘代代相傳直到今天。在接力中， 火炬首先在希臘的奧林匹亞被點燃，然后在接下來的幾個星期或幾個月中由若干長跑運動員接力傳遞到主辦城市。在比較后一個長跑運動員點燃了奧林匹克主會場的奧運會火炬后，主辦國的國家首腦宣布奧運會正式開幕，然后信鴿放飛象征對世界和平的希望。

    Two other important ceremonial innovations had appeared earlier at the 1920 Games in Antwerp， Belgium. The Olympic Flag， with its five interlocking rings of different colors against a white background， was flown for the first time. The five rings represent unity among the nations of Africa， the Americas， Asia， Australia， and Europe. Another innovation occurring in 1920 was the first reciting of the Olympic Oath， taken in the name of all the athletes by a member of the host‘s team. The oath asserts7 the athletes’ commitment to the ideals of sportsmanship in competition.

    另外兩項重要的儀式革新，早在1920年出現(xiàn)在比利時安特衛(wèi)普奧運會上。當時一面白地五環(huán)奧林匹克旗首次升起。這面旗是在白色襯底上畫有五個互相扣連在一起的不同顏色的圓環(huán)。五環(huán)代表非洲、美洲、亞洲、澳洲和歐洲國家的團結。 1920年的另一項革新是，首次由東道主運動隊選出的一名成員以全體運動員的名義背誦奧林匹克運動會誓詞，宣誓運動員要在競賽中發(fā)揚運動員理想和精神。

    Medal ceremonies are also an important part of the Games. After each individual event during the Games， medals are awarded in a ceremony to the first-， second-， and third-place finishers. The winners mount8 a podium9 to receive gold （actually gold-plated），silver （silver-plated）， and bronze medals. While the national flags of all three competitors are hoisted10，the national anthem of the winner‘s country is played.

    頒獎儀式也是奧運會的一個重要組成部分。每項比賽結束后舉行一個儀式，將獎牌分別授予前三名。獲勝者登上領獎臺接受金牌（實際上是鍍金）、銀牌（鍍銀）和銅牌。當三個獲勝者所在國家的國旗升起的時候，冠軍所屬國的國歌也同時奏起。

    Originally there was another parade of nations during the closing ceremonies of the Games. At the end of the 1956 Summer Games in Melbourne， Australia， however， the athletes broke ranks and mingled together to celebrate the occasion. This custom was continued in subsequent Games. After the athletes join in the main Olympic stadium in celebration， the president of the IOC invites the athletes and spectators to meet again at the site of the next Games. The IOC president then declares the Games ended， and the Olympic Flame is extinguished.

    起初，在奧運會閉幕式上還有一次運動員游行。然而，1956年在澳大利亞墨爾本舉行的夏季奧運會上，運動員打亂隊形，互相握手、擁抱，共同慶祝這一時刻。這一較自由的慶祝形式從此被固定下來，延用至今。當運動員匯集在奧運會主會場慶賀時，國際奧委會主席會邀請運動員和觀眾在下一次奧運會上重聚。隨后，奧委會主席宣布本屆奧運會結束，奧運會火焰隨之熄滅。