Paper 1a
Read the passage and anwer the questions which follow.
A The olive is a short, evergreen tree with silvery leaves and a twisted trunk. It produces small, white flowers which turn into a small, oval fruit. This starts off as green (and is usually harvested at this stage), but will later become a rich purplish black as it ripens. The trees also produce an excellent hard wood admired by carpenters. If the trees are left alone, however, and grow in their favourite chalky soil, they can live to great ages. Several trees have been confirmed to be 1,600 years old. As olives do not grow high, they produce very thick trunks. Some trunks have been measured at about 10 metres.
B The olive tree has played a very important part in the culture of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The earliest human civilisations of Mesopotamia grew olive trees as far back as 4,000 BC. They are mentioned in some of the first written documents that have survived. Olives occur in the Bible, and olive branches were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. They were symbols of peace and plenty (hence the English idiom 'to offer an olive branch' when you try to end a quarrel). They were also placed in the temple of Athena in Athens. The Spartans (perhaps you have seen the film 300) rubbed olive oil all over their bodies before exercise. The Romans made crowns from olive leaves.
C Olives were loved because they have so many uses. The fruit, although a little bitter, can be eaten after it has been treated, usually with salt. A piece of bread and a handful of olives has been a Mediterranean meal for millennia. But the most important product of the olive is its oil. The fruit are removed from the tree by shaking it (there are mechanical methods nowadays), and then crushed between two stones which are moved around to grind the olives into a thick paste. This is made into large, round cakes which are then piled up and pressed under heavy weights. A stream of golden oil, which can be used as a dressing or for frying, runs from the cakes.
D Olive oil is very healthy. It is rich in antioxidants and contains the sort of monounsaturated fat that doctors say is good for our heart. The best types are also delicious and can be enjoyed as they are poured onto bread. When you buy olive oil, you need to read the labels carefully. The best oil coming from the first pressing of newly gathered olive is called Extra Virgin; a slightly lower quality is Virgin; and Pure is rather inferior and often a mix (but a lot depends on your purpose and use of the oil).
E Olive oil is also used for lighting, soap, shampoo and skin products. Olive oil production is done on a huge scale. It is estimated there are a billion olive trees being grown today for their fruits and oil. The figures are amazing. Sixty per cent of Greek farmland is used for olives. The average Greek consumes 26 litres of olive oil a year. Spain and Italy are also major producers of fine oil. Most of it is for the Mediterranean market, but health-conscious Americans have started buying it in large amounts. Even in Hong Kong, most people probably eat the odd olive on a pizza.