VOA慢速英语2021 中国商务部提醒市民在寒冷天气前储备生活必需品（在线收听）

China's commerce ministry has told families to keep a store of daily necessities in case of emergencies. COVID-19 outbreaks and unusually heavy rains caused an increase in vegetable prices, which has raised concerns about supply shortages.

中国商务部通知各个家庭储存日常必需品以备不时之需。新冠肺炎散发和反常大雨导致了蔬菜价格上涨，从而引发了人们对供应短缺的担忧。

Local media recently published lists of goods to store at home, including hard breads and instant noodles, vitamins, radios and flashlights.

当地媒体最近公布了家中储备的物资清单，包括硬式面包、方便面、维生素、收音机以及手电筒。

Some Chinese citizens placed comments on social media that expressed fears of food shortages. Earlier this week, state media tried to ease those fears and further explain the ministry's statement.

一些中国公民在社交媒体上发表评论，表达了对食物短缺的担忧。本周早些时候，官方媒体试图缓解这种担忧，并对商务部的声明做出了进一步解释。

The Economic Daily newspaper told people not to have "too much of an overactive imagination." The newspaper added that the purpose of the order was to make sure citizens were not surprised if there was a lockdown in their area.

《经济日报》告诉人们“想象力不要太丰富。”该报还表示，这项通知的目的是确保市民在遇到当地疫情封锁时不会太措手不及。

The People's Daily said the ministry makes such statements every year. The ministry made a similar announcement earlier this year because of natural disasters, the increase in vegetable prices and recent COVID-19 cases.

《人民日报》表示，商务部每年都会发布此类通知。由于自然灾害、蔬菜价格上涨以及新近新冠病例，商务部今年年初就发表过类似通知。

The ministry's statement this week urged local officials to do a good job in ensuring food supplies and fixed prices. The statement also urged officials to give early warnings of any supply problems.

商务部本周发布的通知督促地方官员做好食物保供稳价工作。通知还督促官员对任何供应问题及早预警。

The government usually makes extra efforts to increase fresh vegetable and pork supplies before the Lunar New Year, China's most important holiday. The Lunar New Year date in 2022 falls in early February.

政府通常会在农历新年这个中国最重要的节日之前，加大力度增加新鲜蔬菜和猪肉的供应。2022年农历新年日期是公历2月初。

But this year, those efforts have become more urgent after extreme weather in early October destroyed crops in Shandong, the country's biggest vegetable growing area. Outbreaks of COVID-19 cases stretching from the northwest to the northeast of the country also threaten food supplies.

但是今年，在10月初的极端天气摧毁了中国最大蔬菜种植区山东省的农作物之后，这些措施变得更加紧迫。从该国西北延伸到东北的新冠疫情也威胁到粮食供应。

Last week, prices of cucumbers, spinach and broccoli had more than doubled from early October.

上周，黄瓜、菠菜、西兰花的价格比10月初涨了1倍多。

Prices have eased in recent days. But economists expect a major increase in consumer price inflation for October compared to last year.

最近几天的价格有所回落。但是经济学家预计与去年相比，今年10月份的消费者价格通胀会大幅提升。

The pandemic has caused an increased concern about food security. The government has written a food security law and is planning new efforts to stop food waste.

大流行引发了人们对粮食安全的日益关注。政府已经制定了食品安全法，并计划采取新的措施阻止食物浪费。

The commerce ministry said local officials should buy vegetables that can be stored for long periods of time and strengthen emergency food distribution systems. Information about prices and supply and demand of goods should be released in a timely manner to ease people's expectations, it added.

商务部表示，地方官员应该采购可长期储备的蔬菜，加强应急食物投放渠道建设。该部门还称，地方官员应该及时发布价格和商品供求信息，以缓解大众预期。

State television reported recently that China also plans to release vegetable reserves "at an appropriate time" to deal with rising prices. It is not clear which vegetables China holds in reserves and how big those reserves are.

国家电视台最近报道称，中国还计划“适时”投放蔬菜储备以应对价格上涨。目前尚不清楚中国储备了哪些蔬菜以及储备量有多大。

The report added that the state planning body has called for the timely replanting of vegetables and urged local governments to support fast-growing produce.

报道还称，国家计划机构呼吁及时补种蔬菜，并督促地方政府支持速生农产品。