The olive（橄榄） tree probably first grew in southern Asia. And then it spread to the Mediterranean（地中海的） countries about 6, 000 years ago. Since then, it has been important in Mediterranean people's {#blank#}1{#/blank#}（life）.

    The olive tree grows in rocky places and it doesn't need much water. Its fruit can {#blank#}2{#/blank#}（make） into olive oil. People have used olive oil to cook dishes {#blank#}3{#/blank#}centuries. But they haven't only used it for {#blank#}4{#/blank#}（cook）. Some ancient cultures believed that it was {#blank#}5{#/blank#}（use） as medicine. In modern times, people still use olive oil both for its taste and its health advantages.

    Olive oil has also been {#blank#}6{#/blank#} important product in the business and culture of Mediterranean countries. In Ancient Greece, for example, anyone who cut down an olive tree was {#blank#}7{#/blank#}（heavy） punished. Winners at the Olympic Games {#blank#}8{#/blank#}（wear） wreaths（花环）. They were made of olive branches（树枝）. Sometimes winners were also given a prize of olive oil. People from Greece built ships so that they could use olive oil for trade. But it was the Romans {#blank#}9{#/blank#}grew the olive tree in the rest of southern Europe and northern Africa.

    Today, olive oil is still a very valuable product. And many different kinds of olive oil {#blank#}10{#/blank#}（sell） in countries all over the world.