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Beijing has made history as the first city in the world to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Let’s look back on some of the important factors that made the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games so impressive.
the Olympic torch (火炬)
In recognition of Beijing’s status (地位) as the world’s first city to host both the Summer and Winter games, the 2022 Olympic torch featured a similar design to the 2008 Olympic torch by the same color combination and artistic forms. What truly took viewers’ breath away was the moment when torch bearers (火炬手) passed the flame to another during the Olympic Torch Relay. The two Olympic torches locked into each other at the top, which represented fire and ice, symbolizing how it would bring light and warmth to the winter sports scene.
the Olympic mascots (吉祥物)
The Winter Olympic mascot “Bing Dwen Dwen”, a cartoon image of a panda wearing a spacesuit, like a winter sports athlete from the future, has enjoyed wide popularity at home and abroad since its first appearance in 2019. “Bing Dwen Dwen” is a great combination of Chinese culture and the Olympic spirit. “Hopefully Bing Dwen Dwen can become a classic and leave lasting memories in Olympic history,” said Cao Xue, head of the Beijing 2022 mascot design team.
Soon after the announcement of “Bing Dwen Dwen”, Beijing organizers also introduced “Shuey Rhon Rhon” as the mascot of the 2022 Beijing Paralympic (残奥会)Winter Games.
the smart high-speed railway
As the countdown to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics continued, the new high-speed railway line connecting the capital with Olympic host city Zhangjiakou began to enter service. By cutting the travel time between the two from three hours to 47 minutes, the bullet train can run up to 350 kilometers per hour without a driver, becoming the world’s first smart high-speed railway. So, what makes them “smart”? Well, equipped with 5G signals, intelligent lighting and sensors to collect real-time data and detect any operational problems, the trains can automatically start, stop and adjust to the different speed limits between stations.
21. Why is “Bing Dwen Dwen” so popular?
A. Because it is a real panda, the national treasure of China.
B. Because it looks like an athlete wearing a spacesuit.
C. Because it has already become a classic in Olympic history.
D. Because it shows both Chinese culture and the Olympic spirit.
22. How long did it take to get to Zhangjiakou from Beijing by train before the new high-speed railway was put into use?
A. About 47 minutes B. About 3 hours and 47 minutes C. About 3 hours D. About 2 hours
23. What can we know about the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games from the passage?
A. It caught the world’s eye once again as the 2008 Olympics did.
B
The torch was the same as that in 2008 Olympics.
C. It had two mascots—“Bing Dwen Dwen” and “Shuey Rhon Rhon”
D. Drivers on the new high-speed trains used 5G signals to operate the bullet train.
