西班牙和北非極端天氣影響
The UK Environment Secretary, Thérèse Coffey, is getting heat from political rivals for some comments that she made about the recent food crisis affecting consumers in the UK.
英國環境大臣科菲因對最近影響英國消費者的食品危機發表的一些評論，受到政治對手的批評。
rival (n.)競爭對手、敵手crisis (n.)危機(複數：crises)
Coffey suggested to MPs at a House of Commons question session that British consumers should eat turnips as “a suitable alternative while other vegetables remain in short supply.”
科菲在下議院質詢環節中向議員們表示，「由於其他蔬菜短缺」，英國消費者應該食用大頭菜作為「合適的替代品」。
MP= Member of Parliament 議員House of Lords 上議院alternative (n.)替代品supply (n.)供應
The secretary’s comments were made in response to the limited availability of tomatoes and cucumbers in the UK due to the effects of “extreme weather in Spain and North Africa.”
大臣的言論是為了回應「西班牙和北非極端天氣」的影響導致英國番茄和黃瓜供應量有限。
availability (n.)可得性
Her words have drawn fire from politicians like Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, who accused her of trying to dictate what citizens should eat.
她的話引起了政治人物的批評，如自由民主黨領袖戴維，他指責她試圖規定公民應該吃什麼。
accuse sb. of Ving(N.) 指控某人做了某事dictate (v.)命令、下令、規定dictator (n.)獨裁者
He likened Coffey’s proposed “ ‘let them eat turnips’ strategy” to the famous French queen Marie Antoinette’s supposed quote of “let them eat cake” in response to the bread shortage in France.
他把科菲提出的「『讓他們吃大頭菜』策略」比作法國著名的瑪莉安東妮皇后在法國麵包短缺時所說的「讓他們吃蛋糕」的名言。
liken A to B 認為A與B很像、把A比作B
Downing Street has defended the secretary’s promotion of UK-grown produce, denying that her comments were meant to tell consumers what vegetables they should purchase with their own money.
英國政府為環境大臣推廣英國本土作物辯護，否認她的言論意圖告訴消費者他們該用自己的錢買哪些蔬菜。
metonymy (n.)轉喻promotion (n.)推廣、宣傳produce (n.)農產品
However, Coffey has also drawn criticism for another controversial comment from the same session, this time about the UK’s 45-year-high food inflation and “grocery prices that are 16.7% higher than last year.”
然而，在同一場質詢中，科菲也因為另一句爭議性的評論而引起批評，這次她談到了英國45年來最高的食品通膨率和「比去年高出16.7％的食品雜貨價格」。
controversial (adj.)有爭議性的a controversial policy 爭議性的政策inflation (n.)通膨inflate (v.)充氣、膨脹deflation (n.)通貨緊縮
When asked about what the government has been doing to ensure that citizens can acquire food necessities, Coffey noted that people could access the Household Support fund, but the best way was for them to work more hours or get higher-paying jobs.
當被問及政府為確保公民能獲得所需食品做了什麽努力時，科菲指出人們可以獲得家庭支援基金，但最好的方法是增加工時或找到更高薪的工作。
acquire (v.)獲得、取得acquire knowledge 獲得知識、學習知識
Several Labour MPs noted that this response was incredibly out of touch, saying that the government should take more responsibility for the needs of UK families during times of crisis.
幾位工黨議員指出，這種回應根本與現實脫節，認為政府在危機時期應該多承擔英國家庭的需求。
take(assume, shoulder) responsibility 負起責任