除了提供音檔，我們也提供完整英語內容

Announcer: You’re listening to: Top of the Topics!

全球通膨持續，會影響什麼呢？

Now, please welcome your host, Chuck McSilver!

Chuck: Hello and welcome to another episode of Top of the Topics! The show where if you don’t know the news …

Audience: You Lose!

Chuck: Let’s meet today’s contestants: ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Max and Mary! Mary, Max, welcome to the show!

Both: Thanks Chuck!

Chuck: Mary, welcome back! This is your third time!

Mary: I know! It’s hard to believe.

Chuck: Not at all! Max, you think you can do better?

Max: I know I can, Chuck!

Chuck: Let’s see if you’re right! Come, join me on a journey to Clever Corner for a chat with our resident know-it-all, Sally Smartypants! Sally?

Sally: Thanks Chuck! Cindy says hi …

Chuck: Wait, really?!

Sally: This week’s topic is: Global Inflation!

Chuck: What else did she say?

Sally: Chuck …

Chuck: Oh, right, the game … Mary, Max, I’ll give you a word, you give us a definition. First correct answer wins. Fingers on buzzers. Ready? … Word one: ‘Inflation’ Max.

Max: It’s where the price of things goes up, but the value of money goes down. So people have to spend more to buy less.

Chuck: Correct! Sally?

Sally: Global inflation has been steadily increasing since early 2021, mostly thanks to some huge international factors.

Chuck: Word two: ‘Factors’ Mary.

Mary: They’re the things that can impact a final result.

Chuck: Correct! One point each. Sally?

Sally: Two of the biggest factors effecting global inflation have been the coronavirus pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. Both of which can essentially be blamed upon supply and demand

Chuck: Word three: ‘Essentially’ Max.

Max: It’s like, the very basics, I guess … It’s the truth of what something really is, without all the unnecessary bits.

Chuck: Great Max! Two points. Sally?

Sally: A lot of the world’s grain is grown in the Ukraine, and a lot of the world’s natural gas comes from Russia. So, while they are at war demand for both food and fuel is high, but supplies are low.

Chuck: Word four: ‘Grain’ Mary.

Mary: It’s the seed of a plant. It’s used to make all kinds of food, like bread and cereal.

Chuck: You got it! Two points! Sally?

Sally: Covid, meanwhile, forced people to change their lifestyles very quickly. People couldn’t buy the things they wanted for a long time. Now they can again, and they’re buying lots of things very quickly! Again, demand is high but supplies are low.

Chuck: Word five: ‘Lifestyles’ Max

Max: It’s the way people choose to live their lives! Chuck: Correct! That sound means we’ve run out of time! Mary has two points, but Max has three … Max, you win!

Max: Really?!

Chuck: He can’t believe it! Well done Max! We’ll see you next week. Super sorry to say goodbye to you, Mary! You had a good time?

Mary: The best! Thanks everyone!!