雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. In the 19th century, the introduction of the penny post in Britain revolutionized communication. Before that, the recipient, not the sender, usually paid for the mail, which led to many refusals. The postal reformer Rowland Hill proposed a uniform low rate, prepaid by the sender. This change increased mail volume dramatically, but it also created a need for more efficient sorting methods. Interestingly, the first postage stamp, the Penny Black, was issued in 1840 and featured a portrait of Queen Victoria. It was printed in sheets and had to be cut with scissors because there were no perforations initially.