Question

The central point in the first paragraph is that the economic benefits of the Olympic Games

• A. are shared equally among the three organising committees
• B. accrue mostly through revenue from advertisements and ticket sales
• C. accrue to host cities, if at all, only in the long term
• D. are usually eroded by expenditure incurred by the host city
• A. their scale and the costs of operating them are large
• B. their location away from the city centre usually limits easy access.
• C. the authorities do not adapt them to local conditions.
• D. they become outdated having being built with little planning and under time pressure
• A. they divert scarce urban land from more productive uses
• B. they involve the demolition of residential structures to accommodate sports facilities and infrastructure
• C. the finances used to fund the Games could be better used for other purposes.
• D. the influx of visitors during the Games places a huge strain on the urban infrastructure.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To determine the central point of the first paragraph regarding the economic benefits of the Olympic Games, let's dissect the provided comprehension:
The paragraph discusses the economic implications of hosting the Olympics. It mentions that converting the substantial operating costs into long-term economic returns is a challenge, and the revenue generated primarily benefits the International Olympics Committee and other organizations, not the host city. Furthermore, it elaborates on the uncertainties and dubious nature of potential economic benefits such as advertising, infrastructure, and facility uses.
Given these points, the paragraph suggests that any economic benefits accruing to host cities are uncertain and, if realized, would only occur in the long term. Therefore, the correct answer is:

accrue to host cities, if at all, only in the long term

Answer 2

The issue of underutilization of sports facilities built for the Olympics can be primarily attributed to their scale and the substantial costs associated with operating them. These factors significantly limit their use after the games.
The comprehension describes that while the summer Olympic Games can generate a significant amount of revenue, most of it does not benefit the host city directly. The major challenge lies in converting the massive investments and facilities into long-term economic assets. The text provides evidence that facilities like large stadiums often remain nearly vacant or extremely costly to maintain, as seen with examples like the Bird's Nest in Beijing and the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. These facilities require plans for future conversion, otherwise, they remain underutilized.
Moreover, the venues are built in a hurried manner, influenced by intense competition among cities to host the Olympics, which contributes to a lack of optimal future planning. The scarce urban land could be better utilized if not dedicated to these massive structures, which adds to the underutilization problem.
Considering these aspects, the correct answer to the question is: their scale and the costs of operating them are large.

Answer 3

The comprehension passage discusses the potential economic impacts of hosting mega sports events like the summer Olympic Games on a host city. It mentions several burdens these Games can place on a city:

• Diverting scarce urban land from more productive uses, as new facilities may occupy valuable space that could have been used more effectively.
• Involving the demolition of residential structures, which often leads to relocation of citizens and increases congestion and hectic life conditions.
• The finances used to fund the Games could be better utilized for other purposes, as the allocation of resources might not yield the expected economic benefits.

However, the author does not state that the influx of visitors places a huge strain on urban infrastructure during the Games. This is the exception among the reasons provided in the options. While the passage does talk about the congestion caused by relocating citizens and the frenzied atmosphere during planning and construction, it doesn’t specifically highlight the strain from visitors.