Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. Now, many people think that the first stamps were introduced in the UK, and that's true. However, the first adhesive stamp, the Penny Black, was actually issued in 1840. But interestingly, the idea of prepaying postage dates back earlier. In 1837, Sir Rowland Hill proposed a uniform rate of one penny for any letter weighing under half an ounce. This was a revolutionary change because previously, postage was calculated by distance and number of sheets. The Penny Black featured a profile of Queen Victoria and was printed in black. It was soon replaced by the Penny Red in 1841 because the black stamp was difficult to cancel with a black postmark.
❓ Why was the Penny Black replaced by the Penny Red?
A. A. Because the Penny Black was too expensive to produce.
B. B. Because the black stamp was hard to cancel with the black postmark.
C. C. Because Queen Victoria preferred the color red.
D. D. Because the Penny Red was more popular with the public.
✅ 正确答案
B. Because the black stamp was hard to cancel with the black postmark.