(单词翻译:单击)
Scientists believe the Rapunui soon started clearing the tree forest.
科学家认为拉帕努伊人很快就开始砍伐森林。
They cut many trees down all at once to make room for their crops.
为了给庄稼腾地方，他们一下子砍倒了许多树。
The theory is that the lack of trees soon had a serious effect on the island and its people.
从理论上讲，缺乏树木很快就会对该岛和岛上的人民产生严重的影响。
Scientists think that without trees the Rapanui suffered greatly.
科学家认为，没有树木，拉帕努伊人遭受了巨大的损失。
The food from the trees disappeared.
树上的食物消失了。
And the Rapanui could no longer make wood boats to hunt big fish in deep water.
拉帕努伊人再也不能制作木船在深水中捕捉大鱼了。
Instead, they had to eat the smaller fish they found closer to land.
相反，他们不得不吃他们在离陆地更近的地方发现的较小的鱼。
After a short time, they had eaten most of those small fish.
不久之后，靠近陆地的大部分小鱼都被他们吃掉了。
The people became very hungry.
人们变得非常饥饿。
The lack of trees may have also changed the climate on the island.
缺乏树木可能也改变了岛上的气候。
Fewer trees meant less rain fall.
树木减少意味着降雨量减少。
Soon, the Rapanui’s crops started to die from lack of rain.
很快，拉帕努伊人的庄稼开始因缺少雨水而枯死。
And the soil became hard and dry.
土壤变得又硬又干。
The chiefs believed building more Moai structures would save their people.
酋长们认为建造更多的摩埃石像可以拯救他们的人民。
Their gods would surely help them.
他们的神肯定会帮助他们。
But the people were too tired.
但是人们太累了。
They did not have enough to eat.
他们没有足够的食物。
They could not build more Moai.
他们无法建造更多的摩埃石像。
And their old stone gods did nothing for them.
旧石神也并未帮助他们。
Scientists say that a civil war began on Easter Island.
科学家表示，复活节岛上爆发了内战。
The Rapanui tribes began to fight each other for resources.
拉帕努伊部落开始相互争夺资源。
During this time, explorers from different nations also came to Easter Island.
在此期间，来自不同国家的探险家也来到了复活节岛。
They brought new diseases with them.
他们带来了新的疾病。
The people were not used to these diseases.
那里的人们不习惯这些疾病。
And, by 1872, the number of Rapanui fell to just 111 individuals.
到了1872年，拉帕努伊人的数量减少到只有111人。
