Glencoe Keyboarding with Computer Applications

Explore Olympic Sports

Introduction
Learn about the Olympic winter sports listed in Database Table 2.

Directions
Read the information below and apply what you learn to answer the questions. Key your answers into the spaces below. After you finish keying, check your work carefully and click Submit.

Winter Sports
The Winter Olympics include sports that most people are familiar with, such as skiing and skating events. But are you aware of lesser-known sports, such as luge or curling? And how are winners chosen in events like figure skating, when there are no goals scored or times to beat? Below is a quick run-down of some of the events you may want to catch in the next Winter Olympics.

Curling Curling is a popular sport in countries like Canada and Norway, which have very cold climates. It is played on ice with two 4-man teams. The object is to hit a flat granite “stone” into the center of the other team’s “house,” which is four concentric circles drawn on the ice. Curling is unusual in that it is the only sport that has a team member literally sweeping the field with a broom. Sweeping the ice in front of the stone causes the ice to melt slightly, which can help the stone slide straighter and further.

Luge For those who never felt they could go fast enough on a sled or toboggan, there is the luge. A luge is a type of sled on which riders lie on their backs feet first and steer with their legs and shoulders. There are events for single riders and for doubles teams, who lie two people on a luge. Special tracks are designed that allow the luge to hurtle down twists and turns at speeds that can surpass 90 miles per hour.

Figure Skating Figure skating events are divided into singles competition for individual men and women, and pairs competition for couples. Skaters perform a short and a free program. In the short programs, there are eight required elements, including jumps and spins that are connected by steps. In the free programs, skaters must still include jumps, spins, and steps, but the program is longer and there is more creativity. Paired skaters have to perform in exact unison and include additional moves such as lifts (where the man lifts the woman), throw jumps, and combination spins.

Skaters are judged by ease, intricacy, and sureness of movement; originality; musical expression; speed and style. Paired skaters are also judged on how well they perform in unison. A 6.0 is a perfect score, and Olympic skaters should always score above 5.0. Judging is subjective, which has sometimes led to disputes.

Ice Hockey Like other team sports, such as soccer, football, and basketball, the aim of ice hockey is to score by putting the puck (rather than a ball) into the goal of the opposing team. Each side plays five skaters and one goalie. Games consist of three 20-minute periods with two 15-minute intermissions.

Speed Skating Races can be held on a long track (400 meters) or a short track (111 meters), both of which are oval. On the long track, skaters race against the clock in events ranging from 500 meters to 10,000 meters. On the short track, skaters race against each other and the first to cross the line wins. Short track events include individual races of 500, 1000, and 1500 meters, as well as relay races of 3000 and 5000 meters.

Find Information on a Web Site For more information on winter sports, you can go to the Olympics page on the Sports Illustrated Web site at sportsillustrated.cnn.com. If the link is inactive, or if you need to find out more about this topic, get your teacher’s permission to use a search engine. Here are some keywords you might use: Olympic sports, Winter Olympic sports, winter sports.

1			In curling, why does a team member sweep the ice?
2			How do riders steer a luge?
3			What additional requirements are paired figure skaters judged on that single skaters are not?
4			To what sports can you compare ice hockey?
5			How long are the tracks used in speed skating races?