雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. The first organized postal system was established in ancient Persia around 550 BC, using mounted couriers to deliver messages across the empire. However, it was the Romans who developed a more efficient network, with relay stations every 10 to 15 miles. In the 19th century, the introduction of the postage stamp in Britain in 1840 revolutionized mail delivery, making it affordable for ordinary people. Interestingly, the first stamp, the Penny Black, featured a portrait of Queen Victoria and was valid for only one year because of a change in postal rates.