English Stage 4 - Paper 1 Insert

English
Stage 4
Paper 1 Non-fiction 2024

Cambridge Primary Progression Test
Insert
3124_01_INS_5RP
© UCLES 2024
2
The Olympic Games
The first Olympic Games took place in the 8th century B.C.E. They began as part
of an Ancient Greek festival, which celebrated Zeus, the Greek god of sky and
weather. At that time, the whole competition lasted for up to six months, and
included chariot1 racing. However, the Greek Olympics were later stopped by the 5
Roman Emperor Theodosius I because he considered them unsuitable. They
didn’t take place again for hundreds of years. In 1896, a man named Baron
Pierre de Coubertin restarted the Olympics. He called this new event, which is
still going strong today, the ‘modern Olympics’.
In ancient times, a flame burned throughout the Games as a tribute to the 10

goddess Hestia. In 1928 this practice was started again in the modern Games;
the flame burns in a special torch. The torch flame is always lit by the sun in
Olympia, Greece, as this is where the first Greek Games were held. Then, the
flame is passed from torch to torch around the world, ending in the host city2.
New torches are designed for each Olympics, and several thousand copies are 15
made. It’s a great honour to carry the torch, and lots of people take their turn at
doing this during each Olympics, in every nation. Lit Olympic torches have flown
on planes, stayed alight underwater and climbed Everest. Some unlit torches
have even gone into space!
Today there are Summer and Winter Olympics. Just 14 countries took part in the 20
first Summer Olympics, but nowadays more than 200 countries compete in each
Games. At first, the Winter Olympics were held in the same year as the Summer
ones, but organisers soon realised that it would be better to have them in
different years. As a result, the Winter Olympics now take place two years after
the Summer Olympics. 25
The Olympic logo was designed to include everyone. The Olympic rings were
first produced in 1913, from a design produced by the modern Games’ founder,
Baron Pierre de Coubertin. Their five colours, along with the white background,
reflect colours found on the flags of the nations that took part at that time,
showing that everyone was included. The circles link together to show 30
international co-operation and the meeting of athletes from all over the world.
© UCLES 2024 E/S4/INSERT/01

3
Until 1912, the first-place Olympic medals were solid gold. Sadly though, this is
no longer true. At the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, which actually took place in
2021, winners were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals made completely
out of consumers’ recycled electronics. Japanese citizens were asked to donate 35
their old phones and cameras, from which experts removed the precious metals
that were then used to produce the medals. The project was a success – millions
of kilos of electronics were donated!
The modern Olympic Games aren’t just about triumphing at sports and collecting
medals – they’re about making friends too. The Games are a great chance for 40
people from countries around the world to meet up and get to know each other.
For the 16 days of competition, athletes from all sports, religions, nationalities
and cultures live and work together and they often leave as good friends
promising they’ll meet up in the future.
Glossary
1
chariot: a two-wheeled vehicle pulled by horses
2
host city: the city where the Olympic Games are taking place

4
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English

Paper 1 Non-fiction 2024

The Olympic Games

In ancient times, a flame burned throughout the Games as a tribute to the 10

© UCLES 2024 E/S4/INSERT/01

© UCLES 2024 E/S4/INSERT/01

© UCLES 2024 E/S4/INSERT/01

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