雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. Before the 19th century, letters were usually delivered by private messengers, and the cost was often paid by the recipient, not the sender. This system was inefficient and expensive. In 1840, Britain introduced the first postage stamp, the Penny Black, which allowed the sender to prepay for delivery. This reform significantly increased the volume of mail and reduced the cost of sending letters. Interestingly, the reform was largely driven by the work of Sir Rowland Hill, who argued that the postal service could be profitable if prices were lower and more people used it.