雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. Many people assume that the postal system was invented in Europe, but actually, the earliest known postal system dates back to ancient Egypt around 2000 BC, where pharaohs used messengers to deliver decrees. However, the most organized system was developed in Persia under King Cyrus the Great, around 550 BC. This system used a relay of horses and stations placed about 20 miles apart, allowing messages to travel quickly across the empire. Interestingly, the word 'post' comes from the Latin 'positus', meaning 'placed', referring to the stations. So, despite common belief, the concept of a postal network did not originate in Europe.