Olympic Sports Challenge
Explore Olympic sports, surprising rules, and what it takes to win—from the running track to the ski slope.
Preview
Questions with solutions-
1. 选择正确答案。
Which event is this?
Runners race 100 meters in separate lanes. There are no hurdles or baton exchanges.
- 100-meter sprint
- 100-meter hurdles
- 4 × 100-meter relay
Show solution
- 100-meter sprint
The 100-meter sprint tests speed over a short distance, so a quick start is especially important.
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2. 选择正确答案。
Which swimming stroke is she using?
A swimmer moves through the pool on her back, with her face above the water.
- Breaststroke
- Backstroke
- Butterfly
Show solution
- Backstroke
Backstroke races start with swimmers already in the water, rather than diving in from the starting blocks.
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3. 选择正确答案。
Which gymnastics event is this?
A gymnast performs jumps and turns on a narrow beam raised above the floor.
- Floor exercise
- Vault
- Balance beam
Show solution
- Balance beam
The balance beam is a women's Olympic gymnastics event. Athletes need both balance and control.
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4. 选择正确答案。
Which event combines these activities?
Athletes first swim in open water, then ride bicycles, and finally run to the finish.
- Triathlon
- Decathlon
- Biathlon
Show solution
- Triathlon
In a triathlon, the race clock keeps running while athletes change from one sport to the next.
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5. 选择正确答案。
Which winter sport is this?
Players slide heavy stones across ice toward a target. Teammates sweep the ice in front of the moving stone.
- Ice hockey
- Curling
- Speed skating
Show solution
- Curling
Sweeping changes the ice surface and helps control how far the stone travels and how much it curves.
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6. 选择正确答案。
How many points is this shot worth?
In Olympic basketball, a player scores with a free throw after a foul.
- Three points
- Two points
- One point
Show solution
- One point
Each successful free throw earns one point. A foul can lead to more than one free throw.
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7. 选择正确答案。
How many players from each team are on the court?
An Olympic beach volleyball match is played on sand.
- Two players
- Four players
- Six players
Show solution
- Two players
Beach volleyball teams have only two players, so each player must cover a large area of the court.
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8. 选择正确答案。
How many points does this arrow score?
An archer's arrow lands in the center ring of an Olympic archery target.
- Nine points
- Ten points
- Eight points
Show solution
- Ten points
The center ring scores ten points. Rings farther from the center are worth fewer points.
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9. 选择正确答案。
What is this tied score called?
In an Olympic singles tennis game, the score is 40–40.
- Advantage
- Match point
- Deuce
Show solution
- Deuce
From deuce, a player must win two points in a row to win the game.
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10. 选择正确答案。
Who faces backward while the boat moves forward?
Nora competes in Olympic rowing. Leo competes in Olympic canoe sprint.
- Only Nora
- Only Leo
- Both athletes
Show solution
- Only Nora
Rowers face backward and use oars attached to the boat. Canoe athletes face forward and use paddles.
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11. 选择正确答案。
Which action breaks this rule?
In race walking, athletes must never have both feet off the ground at the same time in a way that judges can see.
- Passing another athlete
- Running with both feet briefly in the air
- Moving their arms while walking
Show solution
- Running with both feet briefly in the air
Race walkers must also keep their front leg straight from the moment it touches the ground until it passes under the body.
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12. 选择正确答案。
Whose weightlifting total is higher?
Mia and Zoe have the same best result in the clean and jerk. Mia's best snatch is heavier than Zoe's.
- Zoe's
- Their totals are equal.
- Mia's
The total uses results from both types of lift.
Show solution
- Mia's
The total combines the best successful snatch and clean and jerk, not the weights from every attempt.
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13. 选择正确答案。
Which part of the scoring explains the difference?
Two ski jumpers receive equal points for distance and wind conditions. One lands smoothly, while the other loses their balance and gets a lower total score.
- Points for style and landing
- Points for distance alone
- Points for wind conditions alone
Show solution
- Points for style and landing
Ski jumping rewards control in the air and a good landing, not just a long jump.
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14. 选择正确答案。
Who wins the decathlon?
One athlete wins the most individual events. Another earns the highest total score across all ten events.
- The athlete with the most event wins
- The athlete with the highest total score
- The athlete who wins the final event
A decathlon rewards performance across the whole competition.
Show solution
- The athlete with the highest total score
Times, distances, and heights are converted into points. An athlete can win overall without winning any individual event.
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15. 选择正确答案。
What total would a team try to achieve?
In an Olympic sailing event, first place earns one point, second earns two, and so on. Race scores are added together.
- The highest total
- The same total as every other team
- The lowest total
Compare the points earned by first and second place.
Show solution
- The lowest total
A poor finish adds more points, so finishing near the front consistently helps a team keep its total low.