有文字记载的古代奥运会从公元前776年开始，在古希腊最著名的宗教祭祀圣地奥林匹亚每4年举办一次，到公元393年结束，共举办了293届，历时1169年。古代奥运会主要竞赛项目有赛跑、摔跤、拳击、赛马、赛战车等10余项。第一位夺得古代奥运会冠军的是厨师柯诺依波斯，他获得了第一届古代奥运会的短跑项目冠军。公元前4世纪前后，马其顿入侵希腊，古代奥林匹亚竞技会逐渐衰落。公元前146年，罗马人征服希腊，竞技会变成罗马帝国的地方性竞技观赏会。公元393年，罗马皇帝狄罗多西一世立基督教为国教，禁止异教活动，奥林匹亚竞技会被废止。公元426年，狄罗多西二世又下令烧毁了奥林匹亚残存的庙宇。公元522-551年发生的两次强烈地震，使奥林匹亚遭到彻底毁灭。

奥运会的举办起到了倡导和平的积极作用。为消弭古希腊各城邦之间常常兵戎相见的现象，掌管神殿的祭师们“传达”了阿波罗的“神谕”：各城邦长期混战，忽视了奥林匹亚祭祀活动，引起了宙斯的极大愤怒。于是各城邦达成协议：在举行奥林匹亚竞技会期间，必须停止一切战争，严禁任何人把武器带入奥林匹亚地区；所有道路一律畅通无阻，任人自由往来，不准侮辱和刁难参加盛会的人；不准进行偷盗、抢劫、卖淫等不道德的行为。违背规定的行为被视为对神灵的背叛，将受到惩罚。这就是著名的“神圣休战”。它伴随着古代奥运会延续了1000多年，并对现代奥运会和国际社会产生了深远影响。

拓展阅读：

The Winter Olympics is also called the White Olympics. At this time, many colorful stamps are published to mark the great Games. The first stamps came out on January 25th, 1932 in the United States for the 3rd White Olympics. From then on, publishing stamps during the White Olympics became a rule.

During the 4th Winter Olympic Games, a group of stamps were published in Germany in November 1936. The five rings of Olympics were drawn on the front of the sportswear. It was the first time that the rings appeared on the stamps of the White Olympics.

In the 1950s, this kind of stamps became more colorful. When the White Olympics came, the host countries as well as the non-host countries published stamps to mark those Games. China also published four stamps in February 1980, when the Chinese sportsmen began to take part in the White Olympics.

Japan is the only Asian country that has ever held the White Olympics. Altogether 14,500 million stamps were sold to raise money for this sports meet.

Different kinds of sports were drawn on these small stamps. People can enjoy the beauty of the wonderful movements of some sportsmen.

1. The White Olympics and the Winter Olympics ______.
A. are the same thing
B. are different games
C. are not held in winter
D. are held in summer

2. The world made it a rule to publish stamps to mark the great world Games ______.
A. after the year 1936
B. after the 3rd White Olympics
C. before the 3rd White Olympics
D. before the year 1932

3. Which of the following is true?
A. Only the host countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.
B. Only the non-host countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.
C. All the countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.
D. Japan can't publish stamps to mark those Games.

4. ______ appear on the stamps of the White Olympics.

5. The Winter Olympics is held once ______.

答案：
1. A
解析：文中第一段指出，冬季奥运会也被称作白色奥运会。
2. B
解析：文中第一段末尾指出，从1932年第三届冬奥会之后，发行邮票纪念大型的世界性综合运动会成为一种惯例。
3. C
解析：文中第三段指出，每个国家都可以发行邮票来纪念运动会。
4. Different kinds of sports
解析：文中最后一段中阐述了邮票上印有不同种类的体育项目。
5. every four years
解析：根据文中冬季奥运会的举办时间可以推断出，冬奥会每四年举办一次。