本书是为英语爱好者及体育爱好者编写的有关英语体育新闻及体育评论的英语阅读教材，所选文章均为国内外主要媒体对2004年雅典奥运会的专题报道。全书共12个单元，每个单元3篇文章，从内容上分为两大部分：**部分3个单元，主要是奥运会组织情况报道，如2008年北京奥运会准备情况及2004年奥运会开幕闭幕式报道等。第二部分为9个单元，主要是项目方面的报道，包括了2004年奥运会主要项目比赛情况的报道。
本书可供奥运会愿者培训之用，同时可供大学本科学生及研究生英语乏读课程使用，亦可供具备一定英语基础的体育爱好者自学使用。

UNTT One PREPARATION OF 2008 OLYMPIAD
Text l Keep Your Eye on the Ball．Rogge Tells Beijing
Text 2 Education the Heart of Olympics Says Rogge
Text 3 Wang Wei Updates on Olympic Preparations
UNIT Two MEDIA IN OLYMPIC GAMES
Text 1 Prime Time in U.S.Translates to Morning Callin Beijing
Text 2 7he Curling Factor：Widening the Field to Win Cable Gold
Text 3 No Gold Medals，but Competition Is Intense
UNIT Three CEREMONIES
Text l Glittering Opening for Olympics
Text 2 Triumphant Olympics End with Pride and Relief
Text 3 Zhang Yimou to Direct Opening Ceremony of Beijinl Olympics
UNIT Four ATHLETICS
Text l Sorry to Have Disappointed：Anju
Text 2 Bizarre Marathon Closes Athens Competition
Text 3 Italian Strides to 20 km Walk Cold
UNIT Five BALL SPORTS
Text l Golden Brazil Win Volleyball Title
Text 2 Federer Through After Rare Warning
Text 3 Germany Claim Shock Hockey Victory
UNIT Six CYCLING，EQUESTRIAN，FENCING
Text l A Race of Attrition，and Then There Were Two
Text 2 Rogge Refuses Duplicate Medal Requests
Text 3 Who’S Behind the Gold Medalist’S Mask? Gosh，an American!
UNIT Seven AQUATICS
Text l Thompson Loses Lead As Australia Upsets U.S．
Text 2 China Takes Gold，Bronze in Platform Diving
Text 3 Roundup：Hungary Wins Men’S Water Polo Gold
UNIT Eight GYMNASTICS
Text1 FIG Considers Gymnastics Rule Changes
Text 2 German Mother Somersaults to Trampoline Gold
Text 3 Paul Hamm，“I competed my heart out.”
UNIT Nine BOAT SPORTS
Text l Hungary’S Janics Goes Double Gold
Text 2 Pinsent Captures Fourth Gold in Coxless Four Photo Finish
Text 3 Windsurfer Wins First—ever Gold for Israel
UNIT Ten WEIGHT AND CONTACT SPORTS
Text 1 Teenager Khan Is Through to Final
Text 2 Moroccan Lifter Fails Test for Drugs
Text 3 Gardner Ends Career with Bronze
Unit Eleven PENTAHLON TRIATHLON AND TAEKWONDO
Unit Twelve PAST PRESENT AND PUTURE
Appendix1 阅读理解参考答案
Appendix2 奥运会运动项目名称
Appendix3 残疾人奥运会运动项目名称
Appendix4 2008年北京奥运比赛场馆名称
Appendix5 中国体育组织名称
Appendix6 奥运常用词汇