journeyonMarch18th,2007tofindoutaboutthepresent-dayOlympicGames.HeisnowinterviewingLiYan,avolunteerforthe2008OlympicsGames.P:MynameisPausanias.Ilivedinwhatyoucall“AncientGreece”andIusedtowriteabouttheOlympicGamesalongtimeago.I’vecometoyourtimetofindoutaboutthepresent-dayOlympicGamesbecauseIknowthatin2004theywereheldinmyhomeland.MayIaskyousomequestionsaboutthemodernOlympics?L:Goodheavens!Havereallycomefromsolongago?Butofcourseyoucanaskanyquestionsyoulike.Whatwouldyouliketoknow?P:HowoftendoyouholdyourGames?L:Everyfouryears.TherearetwomainsetsofGames—theWinterandtheSummerOlympics,andbothareheldeveryfouryearsonaregularbasis.TheWinterOlympicsareusuallyheldtwoyearsbeforetheSummerGames.Onlyathleteswhohavereachedtheagreedstandardfortheireventwillbeadmittedascompetitors.Theymaycomefromanywhereintheworld.P:WinterGames?Howcantherunnersenjoycompetinginwinter?Andwhataboutthehorses?L:Ohno!Therearenorunningracesorhorseridingevents.Insteadtherearecompetitionslikeskiingandiceskatingwhichneedsnowandice.That’swhythey’recalledtheWinterOlympics.It’sintheSummerOlympicsthatyouhavetherunningraces,togetherwithswimming,sailingandalltheteamsports.P:Isee.Earlieryousaidthatathletesareinvitedfromallovertheworld.DoyoumeantheGreekworld?OurGreekcitiesusedtocompeteagainsteachotherjustforthehonourofwinning.Noothercountriescouldjoinin,norcouldslavesorwomen!L:Nowadaysanycountrycantakepartiftheirathletesaregoodenough.Thereareover250sportsandeachonehasitsownstandard.Womenarenotonlyallowed,butplayaveryimportantroleingymnastics,athletics,teamsportsand…P:Pleasewaitaminute!Allthoseevents,allthosecountriesandevenwomentakingpart!Wherearealltheathleteshoused?L:ForeachOlympics,aspecialvillageisbuiltforthemtolivein,amainreceptionbuilding,severalstadiumsforcompetitions,andagymnasiumaswell.P:That’ssoundsveryexpansive.DoesanyonewanttohosttheOlympicGames?L:Asamatteroffact,everycountrywantstheopportunity.It’sagreatresponsibilitybutalsoagreathonourtobechosen.There’sasmuchcompetitionsamongcountriestohosttheOlympicsastow