U.K. inflation soars to highest level in more than 40 years

Friday, May 20, 2022 - 01:00?Print Edition??World

?UK inflation soared to 9% in April – its highest level for more than 40 years – as the rising cost of gas and electricity pushed household energy bills to record levels.

英國4月份通脹率飆升至9%，為40多年來的最高水平，因為不斷上漲的天然氣和電力成本推動家庭能源賬單達到創(chuàng)紀錄水平。

The escalating cost of food and transport also contributed to the rising cost of living, deepening?the crisis affecting millions of low- and middle-income families.

食品和交通成本的不斷上漲也導致生活成本上升，加劇了危機對數(shù)百萬中低收入家庭的影響。

Deepen ?v. （使）變深，加深；（使）變糟，惡化，嚴重；（使）（感情或關(guān)系）變深（或更強烈）；加深，完善（了解、理解等）；（使）（光線或顏色）變暗，（使）變深；（使）（聲音）變得低沉；深（呼吸），喘（大氣）；（使）（神秘的事物）變得更神秘

Business groups said all sectors of industry and commerce were suffering from the steep rise?in energy and fuel costs, with many facing a similar shock to their finances as seen during the pandemic but without the same level of government support.

商業(yè)團體表示，所有工商界都受到能源和燃料成本大幅上漲的影響，許多企業(yè)面臨與疫情期間類似的財務(wù)沖擊，但沒有同等水平的政府支持。

steep rise：急劇上漲

The Office for National Statistics said the 54% increase in the energy price cap in April, which took the average annual gas and electricity bill close to ￡2,000, was the main reason for the jump in the consumer prices index from 7% in March.

英國國家統(tǒng)計局(Office for National Statistics)表示，4月份能源價格上限上調(diào)54%，使平均每年的天然氣和電力賬單接近2000英鎊，這是消費者價格指數(shù)從3月份的7%躍升的主要原因。

Cap：n. 帽子；（對物件起保護作用的）罩，蓋，套；最高限額；國家隊隊員?v. 覆蓋；限額收?。ɑ蛑С觯贿x入國家隊；給（牙齒）上牙套；勝過，超過；脫帽致意

average petrol prices rose to a record 161.8p a litre in April 2022 from 125.5p a year earlier. Diesel was another factor behind the increase in the consumer prices index from 7% in February after the average cost at the pumps hit a record high of 176.1p a litre, leading to an average increase over the last 12 months in motor fuels of 31.4%. Food banks have reported an increase in demand for food packages after the rise in energy bills, while many small business owners have said a combination of higher costs and tax increases have pushed them to the edge of bankruptcy.

2022年4月，汽油均價從一年前的每升125.5便士升至創(chuàng)紀錄的161.8便士。柴油是導致消費者價格指數(shù)從2月份的7%上升的另一個因素，此前加油站汽油均價觸及每升176.1便士的歷史高點，導致過去12個月汽車燃料平均上漲31.4%。食品銀行報告稱，在能源賬單上漲后，對食品包裝的需求增加，而許多小企業(yè)主表示，成本上升和稅收增加將他們推到了破產(chǎn)的邊緣。

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