Description

A Complete History of the Olympic Games Guided Reading Scripts plus quizzes – set of 8 scripts

plus quizzes, for £20 – this is the original set of 6 from Ancient to 2004 plus two updates of 2008 and 2012.

A Complete History of the Olympic Games. Find out about the amazing stars of the Olympics, right back to Ancient times. Read about triumph and tragedy, elation and despair – it’s all there in stories that range from totally unbelievable to just plain bizarre!

This collection, however, not only covers the stories of the stars but also the stories of nations – and their struggle on the world scene.  In the perfect world, sport would be totally separate from world events and divisions – but not so in real life. So we find many ‘stars’ caught up in issues totally beyond their control – and in some cases, with tragic circumstances. But against all the odds, man proves himself again and again incredibly resilient, proudly living up to the motto of the Olympic Games : “Citius, Altius, Fortius” – Faster, Higher, Stronger.

Play 1:  The Olympics – Ancient and Modern

‘Ancient’:           Sostratos (wrestler/boxer)

Leonidas (runner)

Gymnast

‘Modern’:           Rower

Swimmer

Kallipateira (boxer’s mother)

History of the Olympic Games Sample Text:

Leonidas:             First there was a one length of the stadium sprint. Then two, and then the long-distance race of 20 to 24 lengths. I was champion of all three races at 4 different Games, so I was something of a hero in my home city of Rhodes!

Gymnast:            I wonder what your people would have thought about a race of 26 miles and run by women!

Leonidas:             (in disbelief) Never! 26 miles? Run by women? You’ll be telling me next the whole world can compete!

Rower:                 It can and does! Absolutely nobody barred!

Leonidas:             And what about the winners? No, don’t tell me. You’re going to tell me there was more than one winner to each race?!

Swimmer:           Well, in a way I suppose you’re right! We do award  first, second and third places!

Kallipateira:        What? With small, medium and large wreaths?

Gymnast:            No! With gold, silver and bronze medals!

Play 2:  Modern Olympics 1896 – 1912

Narrator

Athletes from: France, America, Great Britain, Greece, Sweden

Play 3:  Modern Olympics 1920 – 1936 (Impact of 2 world wars)

Narrator

Athletes from: Belgium, France, Netherlands, USA, Germany

Play 4:  Modern Olympics 1948 – 1964 (End of World Wars – The Soviet Union joins the Games)

Narrator

Athletes from: Britain, Finland, Australia, Italy, Japan

Play 5:  Modern Olympics 1968 – 1984 (Tragedy & Triumph)

Narrator

Athletes from: Mexico,            West Germany,            Canada, U.S.S.R., U.S.A.

Play 6:  Modern Olympics 1988 – 2004 (To the Future)

Narrator

Athletes from: South Korea, Spain, U.S.A., Australia, Greece

Plus 2 Updates

Plays 7 and 8 have been added, at the end, as updates (available off www.oldsite.plays-r-ussell.com as separate scripts)

Play 7 Beijing 2008

Play 8 London 2012