Argentina’s Inflation Rises 211.4 Percent

Argentina’s Inflation Rises 211.4 Percent

阿根廷的通货膨胀率上升到211.4%

【听力音频】

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　　By Gregory Stachel

　　17 January 2024

　　Argentina's yearly inflation increased to 211.4 percent in 2023, numbers released recently by the government show. It is the highest rate in 32 years.

　　The data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, called INDEC, shows the effects of strong and difficult economic measures. They include a 50 percent devaluation of the country's money by President Javier Milei in hopes of bringing the country's high inflation under control.

　　The yearly inflation number was much higher than the 95 percent number in 2022. For December, the monthly inflation rate was at 25.5 percent, up from 12.8 percent in November. But it is under the 30 percent the government had predicted.

　　Milei said before the numbers were released that if the monthly inflation rate came in below the prediction, that would be a success.

　　"If the number is closer to 25 percent, it means that the success was tremendous," Milei said.

　　In his inauguration speech, Milei announced a painful plan meant to avoid extremely high inflation. He warned that the measures would at first have harmful effects "... on the level of activity, employment, real wages, and the number of poor and indigent people."

　　It is estimated that around 40 percent of the country's population lives in poverty.

　　Food and non-alcoholic drinks, which have the largest effect on the yearly inflation rate, saw an average increase of 29.7 percent in December, INDEC found. Other products used by the general population rose by around 30 percent, while medications had an average increase of 40 percent.

　　Graciela Bravo, a 65-year-old retiree, said, "Nothing is cheap." She told the Reuters news agency that she used to buy potatoes by the kilo. "Now I get three potatoes or four potatoes so they don't spoil," she said.

　　Alejandro Grossi, a 49-year-old lawyer, said he was used to rising prices after years of inflation. He said, "It's like we're used to it, it's already something so natural here: inflation and changing prices."

　　I'm Gregory Stachel.

　　Gregory Stachel adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting from The Associated Press and Reuters.

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　　作者：Gregory Stachel

　　2024年1月17日

　　最近由政府发布的数据显示，阿根廷的年度通货膨胀率在2023年增长到了211.4%，这是32年来的最高水平。

　　国家统计和人口普查研究所（简称INDEC）的数据显示了强硬且困难的经济措施的影响。其中包括总统哈维尔·米莱伊对国家货币进行的50%的贬值，希望以此控制国家的高通胀。

　　年度通胀率远高于2022年的95%。对于12月份，月通胀率为25.5%，高于11月的12.8%。但是低于政府预测的30%。

　　米莱伊在数据发布之前表示，如果月通胀率低于预测，那将是一个成功。

　　"如果这个数字接近25%，那就意味着我们取得了巨大的成功，"米莱伊说。

　　在他的就职演讲中，米莱伊宣布了一个旨在避免极高通胀的痛苦计划。他警告说，这些措施一开始会对“活动水平、就业、实际工资以及贫困和无家可归的人数”产生有害影响。

　　据估计，该国约40%的人口生活在贫困中。

　　INDEC发现，食品和非酒精饮料对年度通胀率的影响最大，它们在12月份平均增长了29.7%。其他普通人群使用的产品上涨了大约30%，而药品的平均增长率为40%。

　　65岁的退休人员Graciela Bravo说，“没有什么是便宜的。”她告诉路透社，她过去常常按公斤购买土豆。“现在我只买三四个土豆，这样它们就不会坏掉，”她说。

　　49岁的律师Alejandro Grossi说，经过多年的通货膨胀，他已经习惯了价格上涨。他说，“我们已经习惯了，这在这里已经是如此自然的事情：通货膨胀和价格变动。”

　　我是Gregory Stachel。

　　Gregory Stachel根据美联社和路透社的报道，为VOA学习英语改编了这个故事。

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　　故事中的词汇

　　devaluation – v. 降低一个国家的货币价值，使其在与另一个国家的货币交易时价值降低

　　tremendous – adj.非常好或优秀

　　inauguration – v. 通过正式的仪式将某人（如新当选的官员）引入职位

　　indigent – adj.缺乏金钱：非常贫穷

　　cheap – adj. 不需要花费大量的钱

　　spoil – v.缺乏金钱：非常贫穷（这个翻译可能有误，"spoil"在这里应该是“使（食物）变质，腐烂”）