B

Most of us are familiar with one or two kinds of mushrooms, usually white or brown varieties that find their way onto pizzas.Actually, more than 3, 000 types grow around the world in a wide variety of flavors and sizes. They are listed on menus in fancy restaurants.But many centuries ago, long before pizzas and fancy restaurants existed, people were eating mushrooms.

Ancient hieroglyphics (象形文字) from more than 4, 600 years ago tell us Egyptians called mushrooms "the magic food." They believed eating them resulted in immortality (永生).Other ancient civilizations in places such as Russia and Mexico thought mushrooms had ingredients that could produce superhuman strength and even help locate lost objects.Centuries ago, people still associated magic with mushrooms.But today we have a more scientific approach to the mushroom.

Like many other plants, mushrooms serve as a source of food for insects and small animals.Mushrooms differ from green plants because they lack chlorophyll (叶绿素) and do not require sunshine to grow.Until the 1940s, most mushroom farms were in the Far East, especially China and Japan.Then during World War II, many American soldiers tasted the delicious varieties of mushrooms and learned about mushroom farming.After the war, they took this knowledge back to the United States, which soon became one of the world's major mushroom producers.

Health and safety are always concerns when growing any crop.One of the complications with mushrooms is that they can be poisonous or nonpoisonous.Common nontoxic varieties such as table and field mushrooms are safe to eat and can be purchased in grocery stores.Chefs use them in dishes ranging from soups to gourmet sauces, and some mushrooms even have medicinal benefits.Today the USA is the world leader in supplying mushrooms, and other major contributors include France, China, Canada, Great Britain, and Italy.

60.The author's purpose in writing this article is to ____.

A.tell why people eat mushrooms

B.persuade people to buy more mushrooms

C.explain the history and uses of mushrooms

D.provide information for staying healthy with mushrooms

61.What does the word "nontoxic" mean?

A.Harmless. B.Tasty.

C.Expensive. D.Poisonous.

62.What is the warning the author gives about mushrooms?

A.They can only be eaten in restaurants. B.Some varieties can be poisonous.

C.They should only be eaten in pizzas. D.They must be grown in dark, damp places

63.How are mushrooms different from green plants?

A.They're colorful, grown in the Far East.

B.They are a part of people's diet.

C.They're food for insects and small animals.

D.They don't need the sun for growth.