Some people believe that international sport brings about good will between the nations and that ff countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international contests encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sport encourages international brotherhood. Not only was there the terrible incident with the murder of athlets, but the Games were also ruined by those incidents caused mainly by minor national contests.
One country received its second - place medal with great anger after the hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the losers objecting to the final decisions. They were certain that one of their goals should not have been dismissed and that the opposite side's victory was unfair. Their manager was angry when he said: "This wasn't hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Society are finished. "The president of the society said later that such words could result in the pause of the team for at least three years.
The American basketball team announced that they would not give away first place to Russia, after a fighting end to their contest. The game had ended in quarrel. It was thought at first that the United States had won, by a single point, but it was announced that there were three seconds still to play, A Russian player then threw the ball from one end of the court to the other, and another player beat it into the basket. It was the first time the USA had ever lost an Olympic basketball match. The judges discussed the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that the result would stand. The American players then decided not to receive the silver medals.
Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sport is played for honors or money rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that sportsmen should compete as individuals , or in non national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in the present organization of the Olympics there is far too much that encourages dangerous nationalism.
小题1:According to the author, recent Olympic Games have ________.
A．brought about goodwill between the nations
B．made only false national pride
C．hardly showed any international friendship
D．led to more and more misunderstanding and hatred 小题2:What did the manager mean by saying, "... Hockey and the International Hockey Society are finished"? ________.
A．His team would no longer take part in international games
B．Hockey and the society are both ruined by the unfair decisions
C．There should be no more hockey matches organized by the society
D．The society should be dismissed 小题3:What conclusion can be drawn from the passage? ________.
A．The organization of the Olympic Games must be improved
B．Athletes should compete as individuals in the Olympic Games
C．Sport should be played competitively rather than for the love of the game
D．International contests lead to misunderstanding between nations.
