Name: ______________________ Date: ______________________

Grade 4 Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Olive Oil

Read the passage. Then answer the questions.

Oil is obtained from seeds of various sorts and from certain kinds of fruit, but
the most highly esteemed oil for the table, the very queen of oils, is that
which we get from the olive, the fruit of the olive-tree. In size it is not a tall
tree, usually attaining about twice the height of a man. Its head is rounded,
not very dense in growth, its leaves are narrow, of an ashen-green color, and
do not fall in winter. The olive is green at first. The flesh covering its hard
stone, which is pointed at both ends, has the most disagreeable taste you
can imagine. Later when the winter comes, in November and December,
olives change from green to reddish, and finally turn black. Then the skin
wrinkles and the flesh ripen, losing its tartness and becoming rich in oil. That
is the time for harvesting the fruit. Olives that are black, very ripe, and
wrinkled, can at a pinch be eaten just as they come from the tree, in spite of
a slight harshness of flavor. Sometimes they are merely soaked in salt water.
But however they may be prepared, black olives are never equal to green
ones. The most ill-flavored olives as they hang on the tree are the best when
once freed of their extremely disagreeable taste. Lastly the olives, now a
beautifully green color and an agreeable taste, are salted down in brine,
which insures their preservation and corrects any undo sweetness of flavor.

Answer each question.

1. Which oil is the Queen of the Oils?
2. Give the description of olive tree?
3. When do olives become rich in oil?
4. How can olives be preserved?
5. Do you like olives?

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Name: ______________________ Date: ______________________

Grade 4 Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Olive Oil

Read the passage. Then answer the questions.

Oil is obtained from seeds of various sorts and from certain kinds of fruit, but the most
highly esteemed oil for the table, the very queen of oils, is that which we get from the
olive, the fruit of the olive-tree. In size it is not a tall tree, usually attaining about twice
the height of a man. Its head is rounded, not very dense in growth, its leaves are narrow,
of an ashen-green color, and do not fall in winter. The olive is green at first. The flesh
covering its hard stone, which is pointed at both ends, has the most disagreeable taste
you can imagine. Later when the winter comes, in November and December, olives
change from green to reddish, and finally turn black. Then the skin wrinkles and the flesh
ripen, losing its tartness and becoming rich in oil. That is the time for harvesting the fruit.
Olives that are black, very ripe, and wrinkled, can at a pinch be eaten just as they come
from the tree, in spite of a slight harshness of flavor. Sometimes they are merely soaked
in salt water. But however they may be prepared, black olives are never equal to green
ones. The most ill-flavored olives as they hang on the tree are the best when once freed
of their extremely disagreeable taste. Lastly the olives, now a beautifully green color and
an agreeable taste, are salted down in brine, which insures their preservation and
corrects any undo sweetness of flavor.

Answer each question.

1. Which oil is the Queen of Oils?
Olive oil is the Queen of Oils. It is the most highly esteemed oil for the table. We get
the oil from the olive, the fruit of the olive-tree.
2. Give the description of olive tree?
In size olive tree is not a tall tree, usually attaining about twice the height of a man. Its
head is rounded, not very dense in growth, its leaves are narrow, of an ashen-green color,
and do not fall in winter. The olive is green at first. The flesh covering its hard stone,
which is pointed at both ends, has the most disagreeable taste you can imagine.
3. When do olives become rich in oil?
When the winter comes, olives change from green to reddish, and finally turn black. Then
the skin wrinkles and the flesh ripen, losing its tartness and then it become rich in oil.
4. How olives be preserved?
When the olives, have become green and an agreeable taste, are salted down in brine,
which insures their preservation and corrects any undo sweetness of flavor.
5. Do you like olives?
Individual Response
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