雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. Before the invention of the postage stamp, recipients usually paid for the delivery of their mail, which often led to refusal. In 1840, Britain introduced the Penny Black, the first adhesive stamp, which shifted the cost to the sender. This innovation made prepayment compulsory and affordable for ordinary people. Interestingly, the design featured a profile of Queen Victoria and was printed in black, hence its name. The stamp was an immediate success, and by 1860, many other countries had adopted similar systems.