雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. You might think it's a modern invention, but actually, organized mail delivery dates back to ancient Persia around 550 BC. However, the first stamp, the Penny Black, was introduced in Britain in 1840. This revolutionized communication by making postage affordable for ordinary people. Interestingly, the idea of using stamps came from a teacher named Rowland Hill, who noticed that recipients often refused to pay for letters they didn't want. So, he proposed that the sender should pay in advance. This simple change led to a dramatic increase in mail volume.