When a person begins to eat food, the body's digestive system begins to work. The digestive system is the system of the body that is responsible for breaking down the food a person eats. The process of food being broken down is called digestion. Digestion allows the body to receive the nutrients and the energy from the food that is eaten. During digestion, all of the food a person eats is eventually turned into the building blocks and fuel a person needs.
当一个人开始进食，人体的消化系统便开始工作。消化系统是负责分解食物的生理系统。分解食物的方法被称为消化。消化使人体从进食的食物中获取营养和能量。在消化过程中，所有进食的食物最终转化成了人体需求的养料和能量。
The system actually begins to work when a person sees or smells the food. Saliva, or spit, begins to form in the mouth. When the food is eaten, the saliva will begin to break down the chemicals in the food making it mushy and easy to swallow.
当一个人看到或闻到食物，消化系统便开始运作。唾液开始在口腔中形成。当人体开始进食，唾液会分解食物使它呈糊状，容易吞咽。
With the help of a person's tongue the mushy food then moves to the back of the mouth into the opening of the esophagus. The esophagus is about a 10-inch pipe that moves the food from the back of the throat to the stomach. There is also a small flap blocking the windpipe to make sure the food goes down the correct tube. The special flap is called the epiglottis. If a person begins to cough or choke, it is sometimes caused by food or drink going down the windpipe instead of the esophagus. There are muscles in the esophagus that help push the food into the stomach.
借助舌头，人将糊状食物移到口腔后部进入食道口。食管是长约10英寸的管道，它将食物从喉咙的后部运送到胃。食管处还有一小片膜瓣堵堵住气管，以确保食物流入正确的管道。这个特殊的膜瓣称为会厌。人咳嗽或噎住有时是由食物或饮料到了气管而不是食管引起的。食管的肌肉帮助食物进入胃。
The stomach, another part of the digestive system, is the next stop for the food. It has three responsibilities: First, it stores the food, then breaks it down into a liquid mixture, and finally, it slowly empties the mixture into the small intestine. Inside the stomach, there are gastric juices which help break down the food, as well as kill any bacteria that may be in the food.
胃，消化系统的另一部分，是食物到达的下一站。它有三个职责：首先，它存储食品，然后将其分解成液体混合物，最后，它慢慢让胃部所有的混合物进入小肠。胃的内部含有胃液，帮助分解食物，以及杀死食物中的细菌。
The next stop on the journey is the small intestine. The small intestine is located beneath the stomach, and if stretched out would be about 22 feet long. Its job is to break down the food some more, so that the body can absorb all of the vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and the fats found in food.
下一站是小肠。小肠是位于胃的下方，将其伸展开约22英尺长。它的工作是进一步是分解食品，让身体能吸收食物中所有的维生素，矿物质，蛋白质，碳水化合物，以及脂肪。
Helping the small intestine do its job is the pancreas, liver, and gall bladder. The pancreas makes juices that help the body digest the fats and proteins from the food. The liver has a juice in it called bile that helps to absorb fats into a person's bloodstream. The gall bladder stores the bile from the liver until the body needs it again. The liver also filters out anything that may be harmful to the body, as well as stores vitamins and sugars for the body.
协助小肠的有胰腺，肝脏和胆囊。胰腺分泌胰液消化食物中的脂肪和蛋白质。肝脏分泌的液体，也就是所谓的胆汁，消化脂肪转化为一个人的血液中。肝脏分泌的胆汁储存在胆囊中，当有需要便会分泌胆汁。肝脏也过滤掉对身体有害的物质，并能为人体储存维生素和糖分。
Finally, the large intestine is another part of the digestive system. The large intestine is thicker than the small intestine but not as long. Its role is to receive all of the waste products that a person's body does not need. The waste goes through the colon, which is a part of the large intestine. This is the last chance the body has to absorb any nutrients or minerals before the waste leaves the body.
最后，大肠是消化系统的一部分。大肠比小肠较厚，但没有那么长。它的作用是接收所有的身体不需要的废物。废物穿过结肠，也就是大肠的一部分。这是废物排泄出体内以前人体吸收营养物质或矿物质的最后一次机会。
Once the waste leaves the colon becomes a solid again and pushed out through the rectum. This step ends the journey of the food through the body and the digestive system. Drinking lots of water helps with the digestion of food in the body.
一旦废物离开结肠变成固体，将通过直肠被推出。此步骤结束食物通过身体和消化系统的旅程。大量饮水对体内食物消化有所帮助。
In summary the digestive system consists of saliva in the mouth, the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, large intestine, colon, and rectum. The digestive system breaks down the food of the body so the nutrients and vitamins can help a person receive energy and nourishment.
总之消化系统包括口腔中的唾液，食道，胃，小肠，胰腺，肝脏，胆囊，大肠，结肠和直肠。消化系统分解本体的食品以使营养物质和维生素成为人体所需的养分和能量。