I can still remember holding my breath as a flaming arrow soared through the air on its way to commencing the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. When the elevated podium erupted into magnificent hues of orange and red I finally let out a sigh of relief. The skill of the archer combined with the power of modern technology produced a magnificent result. The origins of the Olympic Flame come from ancient Greece; this tradition was revived at the 1928 Olympics and has been a symbol of the Games ever since.

　　The Flame is ignited a few months before the Games begin. It is then relayed around the world by athletes and celebrities all the way to the Olympic venue where it ignites a cauldron that burns for the duration of the Games. Technology and imagination have combined to provide some ingenious and exciting ways to both carry the Flame and ignite the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony.

　　In 1948 the Flame was transported by boat across the English Channel; in 1952, the Flame made its first ever aviation trip to Helsinki; in 1956, the Flame traveled on horseback through Australia; and on its way to the 2000 Games, the Flame even traveled underwater!

　　In 1976, something truly remarkable happened to the Olympic Flame – it was transformed into an electric pulse, the pulse was then transmitted to an orbiting satellite, and finally, it was converted into a laser beam to relight the Flame! This achievement heralded the partnership of technology with the Flame.

　　The modern Games don’t just provide an arena for competition among athletes for gold; they now promote competition among host countries to show off their imagination and ingenuity. The end result is a magnificent display of human ability and technological advancements – and the whole world can applaud the performance!
 
 
 
 
点燃奥运圣火
　　我至今还记得一九九二年巴塞罗那奥运会上一支燃烧的箭划破长空，点燃奥运主火炬时让人屏息的一刻。直到高高的圣火台上迸发出耀眼的桔红色火焰时，我才长长地舒了口气！射手的高超技艺与现代科技力量相结合，产生了如此辉煌的效果！奥运圣火起源于古希腊，在一九二八年奥运会上重现传统，此后便成了奥运会的一种象征。

　　每届奥运会开幕前的数月就要把火炬点燃，然后在全球范围内由运动员和各界名人进行火炬接力，最后抵达奥运会会场，点燃比赛期间燃烧不断的主火炬。科技加上想像力，使火炬接力和点燃开幕式主火炬的方式更为独创引人！

　　一九四八年火炬乘船横渡英吉利海峡；一九五二年火炬第一次乘飞机飞抵赫尔辛基；一九五六年火炬在马背上穿越了澳大利亚；还是在这片土地上，二○○○年奥运会火炬还曾在水下传递！

　　一九七六年，奥运圣火发生了一件历史性的变化：圣火变为电子脉冲形式，传向一颗绕地人造地球卫星，最后变成一束激光点燃了圣火！这标志着科学技术被引入圣火了中。

　　现代奥运不仅为运动员提供了一个争夺金牌的竞技场，今日也成为各主办国竞展想像力与创造力的舞台，最终使圣火成了人类创造力和科技成果的精彩展现，整个世界都为之欢呼喝采！

　　soar v. 高飞

　　erupt v. 喷出；爆发

　　revive v. (使) 恢复

　　ignite v. 点燃

　　relay v. (消息, 货物等)分程传递

　　duration n. 持续时间

　　ingenious adj. 有独创性的

　　convert vt. 使转变

　　herald vt. 宣布