纽约时报 美国物价飙升--通胀持续(1)（在线收听）

    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 Labor Statistics said, as did a nascent 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。

    Economists 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 savings amassed 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 chunk 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。

    Democrats 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 pointed 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 reminder 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 imposing on Putin and his cronies are far more devastating 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。”