Did you know that plants make food for themselves? 你知道植物会给自己生产食物吗？

You may be surprised, when you read this story, to find out that you have eaten some of their food. 读到这则故事的时候，你可能会惊讶地发现你吃过它们的食物。

Mary Jane was watering the grass while her grandmother sat on the porch and sewed. 玛丽·简正在给草地浇水，她的奶奶正坐在门廊缝衣物。

"Grandmother," called Mary Jane, "this grass has enough water. 奶奶，这块草地已经浇足水了，玛丽·简说道。

Now I will water your plants." 现在我要给你的植物浇水了。

"My plants?" smiled Grandmother. 我的植物？奶奶笑到。

"You have been watering them. 你一直在给它们浇水啊。

Every growing thing that is not an animal is a plant. 每个生长着的东西不是动物就是植物。

Flowers and grass and trees and pumpkins are all plants." 花草树木和南瓜都是植物。

"Oh," cried Mary Jane, "may I pull up just one grass plant and look at it?" 哦，是吗？玛丽·简叫到，那我能拔起一株小草看看它吗？

"Yes, indeed," said Grandmother. 当然可以了，奶奶说。

Mary Jane pulled up one of the little plants. 玛丽·简拔起了一株小草。

At the top were two blades of grass, and at the bottom was a thick root with tiny hairs on it. 小草的顶部是两片叶子，下面是粗壮的根茎，根茎上长着细小的须毛。

After Mary Jane had looked at the grass plant, she said, "Now, Grandmother, I will water your flower plants, 玛丽·简看完小草说，奶奶现在我要给你的花浇水了，

"The little girl was very careful to get all the water on the plants and not a drop on herself. 小姑娘非常小心，让水全部都浇到植物上，而不滴到自己身上

So, when she had finished, Grandmother gave her a beautiful peach. 于是，在她完成后，奶奶给了她一个漂亮的桃子。

"Grandmother," said Mary Jane, as she ate her peach, "you always say that I must eat good food so that I will grow and be strong. How do plants grow without eating?" 奶奶，你总是说我要好好吃饭，才能长大长高，那植物不吃饭，它们是怎么长大的呢？玛丽·简一边吃着桃子一边问。

"Oh, but they do eat," said Grandmother. 哦，不，它们是吃东西的，奶奶说。

"Where do they get their food?" asked the surprised little girl. 那它们从哪得到食物呢？小姑娘惊奇地问道。

"Plants make their food," answered Grandmother, "Each plant is like a factory. 植物自己给自己创造食物，奶奶回答道，每种植物都像是一座工厂。

Now, of course, any kind of factory must have something to work with." 当然，任何的工厂都要有东西来加工。

Mary Jane began to laugh. "Yes," she said. "You can't make something out of nothing." 玛丽·简笑了起来，没错，她说，你也不能凭空制造出东西啊。

"No, indeed," said Grandmother. "The food factory makes its food from air, water, and parts of the ground." 奶奶说，嗯，那是当然的啦。这座工厂可以利用空气、水和土壤中的成分生产食物。