Some UK households face ‘heat or eat’ dilemma, scholar says
一些英国人正面临“取暖还是吃饭的抉择”
Facing the combined effects of sub-zero temperatures and increasing prices, some families across the United Kingdom (UK) have to juggle their incomes between staying warm or buying food, a Glasgow Caledonian University research fellow said.
格拉斯哥卡利多尼安大学的一位研究人员表示，面对寒冷天气和物价上涨，英国各地的一些家庭不得不平衡取暖和购买食物的开支。
Simply put, their choice is between heat or eat.
简单地说，他们被迫在取暖和吃饭之间取舍。
Many in the country had already been in a rather tight financial position before the cold weather set in, Dr. Keith Baker said.
基思•贝克博士表示，在寒冬到来之前，许多英国人的财务状况已经相当紧张。
Last week was a particularly cold one across the UK, with snow, ice and fog warnings in several places.
上周，冷空气席卷英国，多地发布大雪、结冰和大雾天气警报。
Dec. 12 was the coldest day in the UK since December 2010, the Met Office said.
英国气象局表示，12月12日是自2010年12月以来英国最冷的一天。
As a scholar, Baker has worked with groups seeking to help people faced with the dual problem of a cost-of-living crisis and high energy bills.
作为一名学者，贝克曾与一些组织合作，帮助陷入生活成本和高能源支出双重危机的人。
“People really are on the line between just and only just about surviving, and being pushed into really quite deplorable situations.”
“人们为了生存而苦苦挣扎，被推入非常可悲的境地。”
Inflation has been running high in the UK since last winter, reaching successive new records.
自去年冬天以来，英国的通货膨胀率居高不下，连续创下新高。
In November, the UK’s consumer price index (CPI) rose by 10.7 percent.
11月，英国消费者价格指数（CPI）上涨10.7%。
Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices increased by 16.5 percent that month.
当月，食品和非酒精饮料价格上涨16.5%。
“We don’t know how high some food prices are going to rise. Barely a day goes by before you see that the price of one type of food is going up, next day the price of another type of food is going up,” Baker said, adding that this level of uncertainty is detrimental to mental health.
贝克说：“我们不知道某些食品的价格会涨到多高。几乎每天都会看到一种食品的涨价，而第二天又会看到另一种食品价格上涨。”贝克说，这种不确定性让人们惶惶不安。
Inflation is being driven mainly by soaring energy prices.
能源价格飙升是通胀高企的主要原因。
In October, UK households paid 88.9 percent more on average for electricity, gas and other fuels than a year ago, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
英国国家统计局数据显示，10月，英国家庭在电力、天然气和其他燃料上的支出较去年平均增长了88.9%。
Domestic gas prices in October were more than double from a year earlier.
10月，英国天然气价格是去年同期的两倍多。
People have suffered substantially with their bills going up, Baker said.
贝克说，随着能源支出增加，人们遭受了巨大的经济损失。
“Energy bills will go up to about 2,600 British pounds ($3,146) on average, and I stress that’s average, rising again to 3,000 pounds as of April.”
“能源账单平均将升至2600英镑左右，我强调这是平均水平，到明年4月份将再次升至3000英镑。”
“We’ve now got to the point where charities are trying to get out warm clothing to people.”
“在英国，现在已经到了慈善机构向人们发放保暖衣物的地步。”
Public libraries and community centers across the UK have thrown open their doors to people eager to escape the cold in their homes, offering warm drinks and hot soup.
英国各地的公共图书馆和社区中心向避寒取暖的人们敞开大门，提供热饮和热汤。
Acknowledging that the government support offered by newly installed Chancellor Jeremy Hunt may go some way to helping families on welfare benefits, Baker has called for more.
贝克承认，英国财政大臣杰里米•亨特提出的政策可能会在一定程度上帮助那些依靠政府福利的家庭，因此他呼吁政府提供更多支持。
“A lot of households are already in the position of no heat and less to eat, and I really wish politicians would get it through their heads that some householders are really in a dire situation.”
“许多家庭已经停暖，节省食物开销，我真的希望政客们能明白，一些家庭的处境真的很糟糕。”
