dà hǎi
大海
céng jīng
曾经
gěi
给
wǒ men
我们
hěn
很
duō
多
lǐ wù
礼物
The Sea Once Gave Us Many Gifts
xiǎo shí hòu小时候 ，wǒ我hé和jiā rén家人měi nián每年xià tiān夏天huì会qù去wài gōng外公de的yē zi椰子yuán园 。
When I was a child, my family and I would go to my grandfather's coconut grove every summer.
wǒ men我们zhù住zài在yí gè一个xiǎo小mù wū木屋lǐ里 ，wū zi屋子páng biān旁边yǒu有hěn很duō多hóng shù lín红树林 。
We lived in a small wooden house, and there were many mangroves beside the house.
wǎn shàng晚上méi yǒu没有diàn电 ，wǒ men我们hěn很zǎo jiù早就shuì jiào睡觉 。
At night, there was no electricity, so we went to bed very early.
yǒu有yī一tiān天 ，mā mā妈妈hěn很zǎo早jiào叫wǒ men我们qǐ chuáng起床 。
One day, my mother woke us up very early.
wài miàn外面hěn很rè nào热闹 ，yú mín渔民men们gāng gāng刚刚zhuā抓dào到hěn很duō多yú鱼 ，mā mā妈妈hé和qí tā其他rén人zhèng zài正在kǎo烤xīn xiān新鲜de的yú鱼 。
Outside it was lively; the fishermen had just caught a lot of fish, and my mother and others were grilling fresh fish.
wǒ men我们chī吃le了yī zhǒng一种jiào叫 “ Bataway ”de的yú鱼 ，fēi cháng非常xīn xiān新鲜 ，hǎo chī好吃yòu又tián甜 。
We ate a type of fish called 'Bataway'; it was very fresh, delicious, and sweet.
wǒ men我们hái还chī吃le了gāng刚wā挖chū lái出来de的hóng shǔ红薯 ，kǎo烤hóng shǔ红薯hé和kǎo烤yú鱼yì qǐ一起chī吃 ，wèi dào味道tè bié特别bàng棒 。
We also ate freshly dug sweet potatoes; eating roasted sweet potatoes with grilled fish was especially wonderful.
mā mā妈妈shuō说 ，yǐ qián以前dà jiā大家huì会bǎ把yú鱼shài gàn晒干 ，zhè yàng这样kě yǐ可以bǎo cún保存hěn很jiǔ久 。
My mother said that in the past, people would dry fish to preserve them for a long time.
nà那shí hòu时候 ，hǎi lǐ海里yǒu有hěn很duō多yú鱼hé和páng xiè螃蟹 ，dà jiā大家dōu都hěn很kāi xīn开心 。
Back then, there were many fish and crabs in the sea, and everyone was very happy.
kě shì可是xiàn zài现在 ，hǎi lǐ海里de的yú鱼yuè lái yuè越来越shǎo少le了 ，yīn wèi因为rén men人们zhuā抓dé得tài太duō多le了 。
But now, there are fewer and fewer fish in the sea because people catch too many.
wǒ men我们yào要bǎo hù保护dà hǎi大海 ，zhè yàng这样yǐ hòu以后yě也néng能chī吃dào到xīn xiān新鲜de的yú鱼hé和hóng shǔ红薯 。
We need to protect the sea so that in the future we can still eat fresh fish and sweet potatoes.