A.

READING
Task Two
1. where does food digestion take place ?

2. what happens to the unabsorbed substance of the food ?

3. how does the body use the result of digestion ?

4. what does the mouth do to the food ?

5. how do the motor functions of the stomach work on food ?

6. why is the small intestine mentioned as the most important part of digestive
tract?

7. study the diagram, and by using it, explain briefly the process of digestion.

Unabsorbed residues pass through the small intestine into the large intestine, where they are stored for
variable periods before being eliminated from the body. Most of the digestive process is controlled by a
complex series of reflexes and by hormones produced in various parts of the gastrointestinal tract.
The chemical phase of digestion involves a series of hydrolytic reactions - all catalyzed by specific
enzymes- in which the nutrient molecules are split with water. Water is an important part of the digestive
process. It acts as a solvent as well as being one of the main reactants. As a result of digestion, proteins
are broken down into amino acids, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, and fats into fatty acids
and glycerol. These comparatively simple substances are used by the body for energy, for replacement of
cells, and for growth.
Food digestion begins in the mouth with the help of the digestive enzyme produced the salivary glands.
The glands produce saliva as soon as the food enters the mouth for the chewing process. There are three
pairs of salivary glands in the mouth, namely : the paroted, the submaxilliary, and the sublingual glands.
The most important digestive component of saliva is the enzyme amylase. Salivary amylase, or ptyalin,
break down starch and glycogen molecules, first to dextrins, and finally to mixture of maltose and
glucose.
The chewed food enters the stomach through the pharynx and the esophagus, a tubular structure
extending from the pharynx to the stomach. The stomach has both motor and secretory functions. The
motor functions of the stomach include division of the food into smaller particles and propulsion of the
contents from the stomach into the small intestine. Little motor activity occurs in the upper part of the
stomach, and in the lower half the contractions exert powerful pressures on the contents of the stomach;
kneading them and mixing them. After consumption of a meal it takes several hours for the stomach to
empty completely.
The small intestine is the most important part of the digestive tract. Digestion is completed in the intestine
and the nutrients are absorbed into the cells of the intestinal lining. From these cells the nutrients are
absorbed into the bloodstream and lymphatic system and carried to all the cells of the body.
Digestion of the food in the stomach and the small intestine involve several substances produced by the
glands in the stomach and intestine linings, and by other organs, such as the pancreas and the liver: The
diagram below shows the substances and activities in the process.