雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. In the 19th century, mail was often delivered by horse-drawn carriages, which could take weeks to cross a country. The introduction of the railway in the 1830s dramatically reduced delivery times. However, it was the invention of the postage stamp in 1840, specifically the Penny Black in Britain, that made prepayment possible and standardized rates. This led to a massive increase in mail volume. By the early 20th century, airmail began for urgent letters, but it was initially very expensive and limited to major cities.