Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. In the 19th century, the introduction of the penny post in Britain was a major breakthrough. Before that, the recipient, not the sender, had to pay for the mail, which often led to refusal. The reformer Rowland Hill proposed a uniform low rate, paid by the sender, using adhesive stamps. This made mail affordable for ordinary people and dramatically increased the volume of letters. Interestingly, the first stamp, the Penny Black, featured a portrait of Queen Victoria and was issued in 1840. It remained valid for only one year because the red cancellation mark was hard to see on it, so it was replaced by the Penny Red.
❓ ¿Por qué se reemplazó el sello Penny Black después de solo un año?
A. A. Porque el retrato de la Reina Victoria estaba desactualizado.
B. B. Porque el sello era demasiado caro para la gente común.
C. C. Porque la marca roja de cancelación era difícil de ver en él.
D. D. Porque el volumen de cartas aumentó demasiado rápido.
✅ 正确答案
C. Because the red cancellation mark was difficult to see on it.