The 2008 Beijing Olympics began officially on Friday 8th August 2008 at 8pm in front of a crowd of 90,000 eager spectators in the Bird's Nest stadium.

Things got off to a bang with an initial firework display which lit up Beijing's skyline, followed by a total of 2,008 energetic drummers beating a countdown.

Then the crowd was treated to an amazingsequence of intricately-choreographed, beautifully-lit vignettes which took them through 5,000 years of Chinese history and culture.

After these performances, it was time for the athletes themselves to take centre stage. In keeping with tradition, Olympic founders Greece led the 204 competing nations into the stadium.

China's 639 athletes entered last behind towering flag bearer Yao Ming, to a thunderous reception from the crowd.

Finally, the cauldron was lit by a jet of fire from Chinese Olympic hero Li Ning, who had been hoisted up to the roof of the stadium on wires.

China, of course, was not alone in watching the opening ceremony. British newspaper The Guardian said the show "outdid all of its predecessors in numbers, colour, noise and expense."

The Financial Times was equally impressed. "No country ever has – or surely will – match the Chinese in effort, human power, synchronicity, ingenuity and, it has to be said, money they were willing to put into what was once a little show."

No pressure on the next Olympic host city then! With just four years to go, the London Olympic organisers have promised to deliver an equally inspirational ceremony. Let's hope they can pull it off.

• amazing [ə´meiziŋ]   a.惊人的；惊奇的   (初中英语单词)
• culture [´kʌltʃə]   n.修养；文化；饲养   (初中英语单词)
• tradition [trə´diʃən]   n.传统；惯例；传说   (初中英语单词)
• greece [gri:s]   n.希腊   (初中英语单词)
• opening [´əupəniŋ]   n.开放；开端 a.开始的   (初中英语单词)
• ceremony [´seriməni]   n.典礼；礼仪；客气   (初中英语单词)
• financial [fi´nænʃəl]   a.金融的，财政的   (初中英语单词)
• equally [´i:kwəli]   ad.相等地；平等地   (初中英语单词)
• willing [´wiliŋ]   a.情愿的，乐意的   (初中英语单词)
• pressure [´preʃə]   n.压榨 vt.对...施压力   (初中英语单词)
• initial [i´niʃəl]   a.最初的 n.首字母   (高中英语单词)
• bearer [´beərə]   n.持票人；送信人   (高中英语单词)
• reception [ri´sepʃən]   n.接待；欢迎；招待会   (高中英语单词)
• guardian [´gɑ:diən]   n.监护人；保护人   (高中英语单词)
• ingenuity [,indʒi´nju:iti]   n.创造性；机灵   (高中英语单词)
• officially [ə´fiʃəli]   ad.以职员身份；正式   (英语四级单词)
• energetic [,enə´dʒetik]   a.精力旺盛的；有力的   (英语四级单词)
• sequence [´si:kwəns]   n.继续；顺序；程序   (英语四级单词)
• towering [´tauəriŋ]   a.高耸的；强烈的   (英语四级单词)
• august [ɔ:´gʌst]   a.尊严的；威严的   (英语六级单词)
• beating [´bi:tiŋ]   n.敲；搅打；失败   (英语六级单词)