纽约时报 美国物价飙升--通胀持续(1)

 

 

    Prices climbed at the fastest pace in decades in the month leading up to the war in Ukraine, underlining the high stakes facing the United States — along with many developed economies — as the conflict promises to drive costs higher.

    在乌克兰战争爆发前的一个月里，物价以几十年来最快的速度攀升，凸显出美国和许多发达经济体面临的高风险，因为这场冲突可能会推高成本。

    The Consumer Price Index rose by 7.9 percent through February, the fastest pace of annual inflation in 40 years.

    2月份消费者价格指数上升了7.9%，这是40年来年通货膨胀速度最快的一次。

    Rising food and rent costs contributed to the big increase, the Bureau of Labor¹ Statistics said, as did a nascent² surge in gas prices that will become more pronounced in the March inflation report.

    美国劳工统计局表示，食品和租金成本的上涨是通货膨胀的原因之一，汽油价格刚出现的飙升也是其原因之一，而这将在3月份的通胀报告中变得更加明显。

    The February report caught only the start of the surge in gas prices that came in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine late last month.

    2月的报告只是发现了汽油价格飙升的开始，这对应了俄罗斯上月底入侵乌克兰。

    Economists³ expect inflation to pick up even more in March because prices at the pump have since jumped to record-breaking highs.

    经济学家预计，3月份通货膨胀率将进一步上升，因为汽油价格自那以来已升至创纪录高位。

    The average price for a gallon of gas was $4.32 on Thursday, according to AAA.

    据美国汽车协会称，周四汽油的平均价格为每加仑4.32美元。

    Rapidly climbing costs are hitting consumers in the pocketbook, causing confidence to fall and stretching household budgets.

    快速攀升的成本打击了消费者的钱包，导致信心下降，并使家庭预算吃紧。

    Rising wages and savings⁴ amassed⁵ during the pandemic have helped many families continue spending despite rising prices,在疫情期间积累的工资和储蓄不断上涨，帮助许多家庭在物价上涨的情况下继续消费，but the burden is falling most intensely on lower-income households, which devote a big chunk⁶ of their budgets to daily necessities that are now swiftly becoming more expensive.

    但负担最大的是低收入家庭，他们将大部分预算用于日常必需品，而这些必需品正迅速变得更加昂贵。

    The price burst presents a challenge for President Biden, especially given that November’s midterm elections are fast approaching.

    价格暴涨对拜登总统来说是一个挑战，尤其是考虑到11月的中期选举即将到来。

    Democrats⁷ will need to battle to retain control of Congress at a time when voters are feeling the squeeze of higher expenses.

    在选民感受到了更高开支带来的压力之际，民主党人将需要通过斗争来保持对国会的控制。

    On Thursday, Mr. Biden acknowledged the pain consumers are feeling from rapid inflation but pointed⁸ a finger at President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, blaming his invasion of Ukraine for fueling higher gas prices.

    周四，拜登承认消费者正感受到快速通货膨胀带来的痛苦，但他将矛头指向了俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京，指责他对乌克兰的入侵推高了汽油价格。

    Democrats tweeted about the report on Thursday using the hashtag #PutinPriceHike.

    周四，民主党人在推特上使用#普京价格飙升的标签发布了这份报告。

    “Today’s inflation report is a reminder⁹ that Americans’ budgets are being stretched by price increases and families are starting to feel the impacts of Putin’s price hike,” Mr. Biden said in a statement.

    拜登在一份声明中说，“今天的通胀报告提醒人们，美国人的预算正因物价上涨而吃紧，家庭开始感受到普京价格飙升的影响。”

    “As I have said from the start, there will be costs at home as we impose crippling sanctions in response to Putin’s unprovoked war,“正如我从一开始就说过的，当我们对普京无端发动的战争实施严厉制裁时，我们将在国内付出代价，but Americans can know this: The costs we are imposing¹⁰ on Putin and his cronies are far more devastating¹¹ than the costs we are facing.”

    但美国人会知道:我们施加给普京和他的亲信的代价，比我们面临的代价更具破坏性。”

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 nascent   

adj.初生的，发生中的

参考例句：

• That slim book showed the Chinese intelligentsia and the nascent working class.那本小册子讲述了中国的知识界和新兴的工人阶级。
• Despite a nascent democracy movement,there's little traction for direct suffrage.尽管有过一次新生的民主运动，但几乎不会带来直接选举。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

5 amassed   

v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He amassed a fortune from silver mining. 他靠开采银矿积累了一笔财富。
• They have amassed a fortune in just a few years. 他们在几年的时间里就聚集了一笔财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

7 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

10 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

11 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。