Question

olympic games
the olympic games have their origins in ancient greece, which hosted a religious festival for zeus, the king of the gods. the earliest recorded games occurred in 776 bce, and the greeks hosted the event in olympia. the site was part of a sanctuary on the peloponnese peninsula, and the event was viewed as the start of the longest - running and most celebrated athletic competition worldwide.
for the ancient greeks, the games were a continuation of a tradition begun by heracles, a storied hero in greek myth and legend. according to their beliefs, heracles started the competition to honor zeus following the completion of his twelve labors. of course, the historical accuracy of this origin story is debated, as they cannot be definitely proven, leaving the origins largely unknown.
when they began, the olympic games lasted just one day and included only one event, the stadion, which was a footrace that spanned the length of the olympic stadium, nearly 200 meters. as the games went on, the greeks added more competitions, such as wrestling, boxing, the pankration, and a multi - sport competition that consisted of running, a long jump, the discus throw, the javelin throw, and wrestling. as they added more competitions to the games, the event stretched to several days. ancient greeks celebrated the
though focused on athletic skill, the olympics were originally more than just a competition. they were a way for greeks to come together and celebrate their religion and culture. alongside the games, greeks offered sacrifices to zeus. in fact, the games were so important that they functioned as a religious holiday, even prompting a brief truce during the festival to ensure that athletes and spectators could travel to the games safely. this sacred truce was respected by greeks from every region.
what is the meaning of the word truce as used in this passage?
a a temporary cease - fire
b guaranteed safe passage
c mutual cessation of war
d permanent accords of safety

Explanation:

The passage mentions that during the Olympic - related religious festival, there was a "sacred truce" to ensure athletes and spectators could travel safely. This implies a temporary halt in hostilities or fighting. The word "truce" in this context means a temporary cease - fire.

Answer:

A. a temporary cease fire