Good morning, class. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. Before the invention of the postage stamp in 1840, people paid to send letters, but the cost was often borne by the recipient. This system was inefficient and caused many refusals. The first adhesive stamp, the Penny Black, was introduced in Britain and featured a portrait of Queen Victoria. It cost one penny and could be used to send a letter weighing up to half an ounce anywhere in the country. Interestingly, the stamp was printed in black, which made it difficult to see cancellation marks, so it was soon replaced by the Penny Red in 1841.
❓ Почему «Чёрный пенни» был заменён на «Красный пенни»?
A. A. Черный цвет был слишком дорогим для производства.
B. B. Черная марка не пользовалась популярностью у публики.
C. C. Штемпели гашения были недостаточно чётко видны на чёрной марке.
D. D. Красная марка могла использоваться для более тяжёлых писем.
✅ 正确答案
C. The cancellation marks were not clearly visible on the black stamp.