Which city was selected to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games?

Introduction / Context:
The Winter Olympic Games are a major international sporting event, and host cities are chosen years in advance. Knowing the locations of recent Olympic Games is a common topic in sports-related general knowledge. This question asks you to recall which city hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
• We need to identify the host city.
• Options include Sapporo, Salzburg, Annecy and Pyeongchang.

Concept / Approach:
The 2018 Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang, a county in South Korea. It is important not to confuse Pyeongchang with similarly named places like Pyongyang (capital of North Korea). The International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Pyeongchang over rival bids from other cities. Therefore, the correct answer here is Pyeongchang.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the 2014 Winter Olympics were held in Sochi (Russia) and the 2018 Winter Olympics followed in South Korea.Step 2: Remember the specific South Korean location – Pyeongchang.Step 3: Among the options, identify Pyeongchang as the only South Korean site.Step 4: Recognise that Sapporo is in Japan, Salzburg is in Austria and Annecy is in France; these were not selected as hosts for the 2018 Winter Games.Step 5: Choose Pyeongchang as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by recalling news highlights, where the 2018 Winter Olympics were frequently referred to as “Pyeongchang 2018”. The official logo, mascots and broadcast coverage all emphasised Pyeongchang, South Korea. None of the other option cities are associated with the 2018 edition.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Sapporo: A Japanese city that has hosted Winter Olympics in the past (1972), but not in 2018.
• Salzburg: An Austrian city that has bid for hosting but was not chosen for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
• Annecy: A French city that also bid but lost to Pyeongchang in the host city selection process.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing Pyeongchang with Pyongyang (North Korea's capital) is a common mistake, especially in spelling and pronunciation. Another pitfall is mixing up bid cities with the final chosen host. To avoid confusion, remember the sequence: Sochi 2014 – Pyeongchang 2018 – Beijing 2022 in the context of Winter Olympics.

Final Answer:
The 2018 Winter Olympic Games were hosted by Pyeongchang in South Korea.