The shortage of workers in certain fields is part of the reason why certain goods are hard to come by. Who would have thought it'd be hard to get fried chicken? It is for KFC and some other restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings and Wing Stop.

　　The prices they pay for chicken have gone up and a big reason is the groups that supply it are having trouble finding employees and keeping up with demand. We've told you how bicycles, computer chips, ketchup packets and lumber have been harder to find. Same thing with steel, when the COVID outbreak started suppliers of these goods temporarily shutdown but demand for them unexpectedly went up. So that caused shortages and price increases.

　　Rare earth metals are needed for everything from computer wiring in homes to lithiumion batteries and while demand for these items is on the rise, their supply chains are somewhat unreliable. And it takes a long time to set up new mining operations.

　　Chlorine prices for pool owners are going up just as people start diving into the summer swimming season. A big problem here has to do with a fire at a chlorine factory last August. But when we talk about gas prices, that brings us full circle back to a labor shortage. Companies say their just aren't enough qualified drivers out there to man the tanker trucks and that's happening just as the summer driving season gets underway.

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　　参考译文:

　　某些商品难以买到，部分原因在于该领域劳动力短缺。谁会想到炸鸡会很难买呢?对于肯德基和布法罗鸡翅烧烤吧以及Wing Stop等其他餐厅，就是如此。

　　这些餐厅采购鸡肉的价格上涨，主要原因是鸡肉供应商很难找到为鸡肉支付的价格已经上涨，一个重要原因是供应鸡肉的集团很难找到员工，难以满足需求。我们此前报道过，自行车、电脑芯片、番茄酱包和木材更加稀缺。钢材也出现紧缺，新冠肺炎疫情爆发时，这些商品的供应商暂时关门，但商品需求却意外上升。因此导致了商品短缺和价格上涨。

　　家用电脑网线、锂离子电池等各种产品都要用到稀土金属，虽然这些商品的需求在上升，但它们的供应链却不太稳定。而且开展新采矿作业需要很长时间。

　　随着夏天游泳季的到来，游泳池业主氯气价格也开始上涨。去年8月一家氯气工厂发生火灾，这可能也和氯气价格上涨有关。但谈论天然气价格时，又把我们带回劳动力短缺的问题。各公司表示，有资质驾驶油罐车的司机不足，而这种情况恰恰发生在夏季驾驶季到来之际。

　　重点讲解：

　　1. part of 一些;部分;

　　These buildings are part of our national heritage.

　　这些建筑是我们民族遗产的一部分。

　　2. come by 弄到;得到;

　　How did you come by that cheque?

　　你是怎么弄到那张支票的?

　　3. pay for 付;支付;

　　They lacked the wherewithal to pay for the repairs.

　　他们缺少维修费。

　　4. keep up with 跟上;

　　It is difficult to keep up with the rapid pace of change.

　　跟上迅速的变化是很困难的。

　　口译： 翻译资格考试二级口译模拟题

　　笔译： 翻译资格考试二级笔译模拟题

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