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, mail delivery was slow and unreliable. However, in 1840, Britain introduced the Penny Post, which dramatically reduced the cost of sending a letter. This innovation led to a huge increase in the volume of mail. Interestingly, the first adhesive postage stamp, the 'Penny Black', was also issued that year. It featured a portrait of Queen Victoria. Within a few decades, other countries, including the United States and France, adopted similar systems. So, the key point is that the Penny Post revolutionized communication.