The olive is one of the oldest planted crops known to man and is still widely grown in the Mediterranean.An olive tree can have a life of 500 years and is strong enough to continue to grow if ever chopped to the ground.It takes up four years before the olive tree is ripe enough to bear fruit.
Olive trees originated in the Mediterranean region where there is the perfect climate for the olive tree planting.It is characterized by abundant sunshine year-round and hot,dry summers with an average temperature of 80°F.In winter,it rarely drops below 50°F.Olive trees were first planted by humans around 4000 BC in an area known as the Fertile Crescent.Before the areas became desert,countries such as modern-day Turkey and Iraq had a lush environment with soil that plants grow well.Archaeological findings suggest that farming began in the Fertile Crescent before 7000BC.Instead of living as hunter-gatherers,these early humans settled down and harvested native plants.They selected olive trees that produced larger and oilier olives than the wild trees.
Olives and olive oil became valuable trade items between societies and civilizations.People who moved from one place to another and traders from the Fertile Crescent introduced olive oil to Syria and Crete,which spread to Egypt,Greece,and Rome.It continued to migrate westward until olive trees were first introduced to Califomia between 1769 and 1785.
The olive tree and olive oil have important symbolism in each religion.In Christianity,a dove(鸽子)brought an olive branch to Noah as a symbol of peace and new life after God flooded the Earth.The Prophet Muhammad suggested the use of olive oil for medicinal(药用的) purposes and massage(按摩).
Olive oil has medicinal benefits.Olive oil has been used for health benefits.Regular eating olive oil can reduce the risk of cancers.It was used during the Spanish Civil War from 1808 to 1813 to treat cases of fever.In 1960,oleuropein(橄榄多酚)was removed from olive leaves,which helps with food poisoning.
小题1:If an olive tree is chopped to the ground,______.

A．it can’t grow any more

B．it can produce more new ones

C．there is no doubt that it will die

D．it is able to grow back strongly

小题2:What does the underlined word “lush”in para.2 probably mean?

A．Of bad climate.	B．Changeable or unstable.
C．Extremely disadvantaged.	D．Growing thickly and strongly.

小题3:We can learn from the first two paragraphs that_____.

A．the olive tree can stand extreme cold

B．the olive tree enjoys the long sunshine

C．the olive is the oldest tree in the world

D．the climate of deserts suits the olive tree

小题4:Which of the following is true according to the passage?
①Olive trees bear fruits every four years.
②Olive oil was a food production before 7000BC.
③In Muhammad,olive oil was used as medicine.
④Olive trees were introduced to California in the 18^th century.
A.②③④          B. ①②③           C. ①③④           D. ①②④
小题5:What is this passage mainly about?

A．The history of the olive tree.

B．The characteristic of the olive tree.

C．The origin and medicinal benefits of the olive tree.

D．The different symbols of the olive tree in each region.