B11

There are different opinions as to the results of the Russian team at the London Olympics. In medal-winning terms, Russia's 2012 performance is better than that at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, improving from 23 gold medals to 24 and up from a total of 73 medals to 82.

 Perform

B12

But the British were more successful with 29 gold medals, moving Russia into the fourth place.

 Success

B13

The reaction in Russian during the first days of the Olympics was largely negative, but then changed as more and more medals were won.

 Negation

B14

Yet, we have to admit that in some ways our sportsmen were unlucky. For example, there were no gold medals in weightlifting this time, though we usually had had a number of them at the Olympics.

 Luck

B15

Alexander Zhukov, president of the Russian Olympic Committee, explains China's success is the following way: "They have actually copied the Soviet system of children's training."

 Train

B16

He adds, "It is rather difficult for us to return to the Soviet system now and, besides, I doubt whether it is reasonable in this day and age."

 Reason