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22 tháng 12 2016

Đạt câu hỏi cho phần gạch chân

Lan need to go to the railway station

ð Where does Lan need to go?

My mother works eight hours a day.

ð How many hours does your mother work a day?

Liz will send these letters to her friends

ð Who will Liz send these letters to?

I would like some orange juice

ð What would you like?

It takes about twenty minutes to go to school by bike.

ð How long does it take to go to school by bike?

Hoa needs some stamps and a pad of letter-papers

ð What does Hoa need?

22 tháng 12 2016

lan need to go to the railway station

=> Where does Lan need to?

my mother works eight huors a day

=> How long does your mother work a day?

liz will send these letters to her friends

=> Who will Liz send these letters to?

i would like some orange juice

=> What would you like?

it take about twenty minutes to go to school by bike

=> How long does it take you to go to school by bike?

hoa needs some stamps and a pad of letter-papers

=> What does Hoa need?

1,hãy tìm 1 lỗi sai trong những câu sau rồi chữa lại cho đúng. nếu không có ghi right1. mis browr eats a few fruit for breakfast2. I have less books in english than my classmate3. we are going to have a two weeks summer vacations in hue next month4.my uncle is a cuchitect and he works in HCM city5. do american students have more vacation a year than vietnamese ones?6. long usually stays up lately to do his homework7. how much hours does hoa's brother work a week?8. In the...
Đọc tiếp

1,hãy tìm 1 lỗi sai trong những câu sau rồi chữa lại cho đúng. nếu không có ghi right

1. mis browr eats a few fruit for breakfast

2. I have less books in english than my classmate

3. we are going to have a two weeks summer vacations in hue next month

4.my uncle is a cuchitect and he works in HCM city

5. do american students have more vacation a year than vietnamese ones?

6. long usually stays up lately to do his homework

7. how much hours does hoa's brother work a week?

8. In the future robots will do all the house work for are and you

9. a famer need feating the animal every day of the yeas

10. mr thanh doesn't live in the country and we don't too

2. hãy đặt câu hỏi thích hợp cho phần gạch chân

1. the souvenir shop is in front of the books store

2. It's five lrilometers from my house to the supermarket

3. It talre mr lan fifteen minutes to walk to work

4. trang will mail his letter to bruce his penpal

5. wwe go to HCM city by train

6. the stamp for yair letter cost 8.000 VNĐ

7. minh needs aphone card because she wants to give he presents a call

8. there are over 1000 stamps in nam's collection

9. I d like to buy some local goods

10 Iam phones his uncle twice a month

2
26 tháng 12 2016

Ex 1:

1 few => little

2 less => fewer

3 a two weeks => a two - week

4 cuchitect không có nghĩa bạn nhé!

5 vacation => vacations

6 lately => late

7 much => many

8 từ "are" theo mình nghĩ bạn chép sai đề rồi

9 need feating => needs to feat

10 don't too => don't, too

bạn nên chép đề cận thận hơn chứ chữa lỗi mà bạn còn viết sai đề thì mình cũng oxi hóa lời thật đấy!

26 tháng 12 2016

Ex 2:

1 Where is the souvenir shop?

2 How far is it from ....?

3 How long does it take ( not "talre") mr lan to...?

4 Who will Trang mail his letter to?

5 How do you go to HCM city?

6 Bạn chưa gạch chân kìa limdim

7 Why does Minh need a phone card?

8 How many stamps are there in Nam's collection?

9 What would you like to buy?

10 Lại chép sai đề rồi bạn! Không có thể loại " am phones" đâu nhé!

9 tháng 10 2016

đặt câu hỏi cho từ gạch chân 

1, Liz will send these letters to her friends.

=> Who will Liz send these letters?

2, My favorite subject is Math.

=> What is your favorite subject?

3, I go to the movie once a week.

=> How often do you go to the movie?

4, Yes, he is.( He is good at drawing )

=> Is he good at drawing?

5, Jonh went to Viet Nam in 2000.

=> When does Jonh go to Viet Nam?

6, My mother is cooking in the kitchen at the moment.

=> What is your mother doing in the kitchen at the moment?

7, Yes, she does ( Lan likes playing table tennis.)

=> What does Lan like playing. Does she like it?

Listen and read.   Ms Hoa: Good moming, class. There was an education fair last weekend. Did anyone go?Nam: Yes, Mai and I did. The fair was great, and we got a lot of useful information.Ms Hoa: I'm glad to hear that. Would you like to share some of it with the class?Mai: Sure. After finishing school, we mainly have two education options. For example, we can get into university if we earn high grades or pass the university entrance exam.Nam: That's true, but academic education isn’t everything....
Đọc tiếp

Listen and read. 

  

Ms Hoa: Good moming, class. There was an education fair last weekend. Did anyone go?

Nam: Yes, Mai and I did. The fair was great, and we got a lot of useful information.

Ms Hoa: I'm glad to hear that. Would you like to share some of it with the class?

Mai: Sure. After finishing school, we mainly have two education options. For example, we can get into university if we earn high grades or pass the university entrance exam.

Nam: That's true, but academic education isn’t everything. The other option is going to a vocational school where we can learn skills for particular jobs.

Ms Hoa: That sounds interesting. So what are your plans for the future?

Mai: I'm hoping to go to university. Having won several biology competitions, I want to study biology and become a scientist.

Ms Hoa: Great! It’s really important to follow your dream, Mai.

Mai: My mum still regrets not having gone to university. So I want to make her proud of me. How about you, Nam?

Nam: Well, I don’t think university is for me. I want to go to a vocational school because I want to become a car mechanic. My father owns a car repair shop. Having watched him work very hard for many years helped me make my decision.

Ms Hoa: That's very sensible, Nam! I hope you can help him grow his business.

1
7 tháng 9 2023

Cô Hoa: Chúc cả lớp vui vẻ. Có một hội chợ giáo dục vào cuối tuần trước. Có ai đi không?

Nam: Vâng, Mai và tôi đã làm. Hội chợ thật tuyệt vời và chúng tôi đã nhận được rất nhiều thông tin hữu ích.

Cô Hoa: Tôi rất vui khi nghe điều đó. Bạn có muốn chia sẻ một số điều đó với cả lớp không?

Mai: Chắc chắn rồi. Sau khi học xong, chúng tôi chủ yếu có hai lựa chọn giáo dục. Ví dụ, chúng ta có thể vào đại học nếu chúng ta đạt điểm cao hoặc vượt qua kỳ thi tuyển sinh đại học.

Nam: Đúng vậy, nhưng giáo dục học thuật không phải là tất cả. Lựa chọn khác là đến một trường dạy nghề, nơi chúng ta có thể học các kỹ năng cho những công việc cụ thể.

Cô Hoa: Nghe thú vị đấy. Vì vậy, kế hoạch của bạn cho tương lai là gì?

Mai: Tôi hy vọng được vào đại học. Giành chiến thắng trong một số cuộc thi sinh học, tôi muốn học sinh học và trở thành một nhà khoa học.

Cô Hoa: Tuyệt vời! Điều thực sự quan trọng là theo đuổi giấc mơ của bạn, Mai.

Mai: Mẹ tôi vẫn tiếc vì đã không học đại học. Vì vậy, tôi muốn làm cho cô ấy tự hào về tôi. Còn bạn thì sao Nam?

Nam: Chà, tôi không nghĩ đại học là dành cho tôi. Tôi muốn học trường dạy nghề vì tôi muốn trở thành thợ sửa xe. Bố tôi sở hữu một cửa hàng sửa chữa ô tô. Chứng kiến anh ấy làm việc rất chăm chỉ trong nhiều năm đã giúp tôi đưa ra quyết định của mình.

Cô Hoa: Hay lắm đấy Nam! Tôi hy vọng bạn có thể giúp anh ấy phát triển công việc kinh doanh của mình.

Giúp mình với ạ, mình cảm ơn 1. Tom’s story about __________ to ASEAN countries because they do not need any visas. A. travel B. to travel C. travelling D. travels 2. Look! Lan __________ the flowers her boyfriends sent her from Da Lat. A. smelt B. smells C. has smelt D. is smelling 3. I highly recommend __________ Ha Long Bay, one out of the world’s seven wonders. A. visits B. visiting C. to visit D. visit 4. Lan can’t wait __________ to the airport to meet her pen pal from...
Đọc tiếp

Giúp mình với ạ, mình cảm ơn 1. Tom’s story about __________ to ASEAN countries because they do not need any visas. A. travel B. to travel C. travelling D. travels 2. Look! Lan __________ the flowers her boyfriends sent her from Da Lat. A. smelt B. smells C. has smelt D. is smelling 3. I highly recommend __________ Ha Long Bay, one out of the world’s seven wonders. A. visits B. visiting C. to visit D. visit 4. Lan can’t wait __________ to the airport to meet her pen pal from Malaysia. A. going B. to go C. go D. goes 5. ASEAN is an organisation which __________ of ten countries located in Southeast Asia. A. was consisting B. consisted C. consists D. is consisting 6. Doctors and nurses risk __________ infectious diseases from patients. A. catch B. catching C. to catch D. catches 7. I __________ that the beaches in Bali, Indonesia, are always full of tourists. A. know B. is knowing C. knew D. was knowing 8. It’s no use __________ him to change his mind. It's no use + ving A. persuade B. persuading C. persuades D. to persuade 9. Tuan concentrated on __________ his project on ASEAN last week and was able to submit it on time. A. completing B. complete C. to complete D. completes 10. Tim is having trouble __________ on the exam. A. concerntrates B. to concerntrate C. concerntrating D. concerntrate 11. After having a big argument, he refused __________ to her. A. to talk B. talking C. talk D. talks 12. She decided __________ a yoga class to keep fit. A. joining B. to join C. join D. to joining 13. Their new instant coffee __________ very good. It is not surprising that it’s becoming more and more popular. A. tasted B. is tasting C. tastes D. taste 14. I will never forget __________ Jane for the first time. A. met B. meet C. meeting D. to meet 15. They hope __________ a lot of money in their business. A. to make B. make C. making D. made

0
Listen and read.  Mr Quang: Good morning, class. Today’s lesson will start with Mai and Nam’s talk about some of the causes and consequences of global warming. Would you like to go first, Mai?Mai: Yes, thank you. First, let me remind you what global warming refers to - it’s the increase in the earth's temperature because of certain gases in the atmosphere.Nam: Exactly. These gases are mainly produced through human activities. For example, burnt for energy, fossil fuels release large amounts of...
Đọc tiếp

Listen and read.

  

Mr Quang: Good morning, class. Today’s lesson will start with Mai and Nam’s talk about some of the causes and consequences of global warming. Would you like to go first, Mai?

Mai: Yes, thank you. First, let me remind you what global warming refers to - it’s the increase in the earth's temperature because of certain gases in the atmosphere.

Nam: Exactly. These gases are mainly produced through human activities. For example, burnt for energy, fossil fuels release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Mr Quang: But how do these gases make the earth warmer?

Mai: Well, they act like the glass in a greenhouse. Trapping too much of the sun’s heat, they stop it from escaping back into space. This makes the planet hotter and hotter.

Nam: That's right. That’s why these heat-trapping pollutants are known as greenhouse gases, and their impact is called the greenhouse effect.

Mai: Global warming is also linked to rising sea levels. As temperatures rise, polar ice caps melt faster, adding more water to oceans. Higher sea levels can also lead to floods.

Nam: Each year, the consequences of global warming become more serious, and its negative impact on the environment and people gets stronger.

Mr Quang: Good job! Thank you for sharing the information.

0
Listen and read.   Ms Hoa: Good morning, everyone. As part of our school cultural programme, we need to plan a field trip to a heritage site in Viet Nam. So, where would you like to go?Petter: Do you have any suggestions for us, Ms Hoa?Ms Hoa: I'd recommend Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. It’s the only place in Southeast Asia to be recognised as a mixed heritage site by UNESCO.Peter: What's a mixed heritage site?Ms Hoa: It's a site that has both natural and cultural importance. For example,...
Đọc tiếp

Listen and read. 

  

Ms Hoa: Good morning, everyone. As part of our school cultural programme, we need to plan a field trip to a heritage site in Viet Nam. So, where would you like to go?

Petter: Do you have any suggestions for us, Ms Hoa?

Ms Hoa: I'd recommend Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. It’s the only place in Southeast Asia to be recognised as a mixed heritage site by UNESCO.

Peter: What's a mixed heritage site?

Ms Hoa: It's a site that has both natural and cultural importance. For example, you can go on a boat trip there to enjoy the beautiful landscape. Or you can visit the old temples and monuments to learn about Vietnamese history.

Anna: That sounds interesting, but if we want to learn about cultural values of the past, where should we go?

Ms Hoa: You can go to Hoi An Ancient Town in central Viet Nam. You'll learn about urban lifestyles and traditions from the 15th to the 19th century and will see examples of ancient architecture. All buildings are kept in their original state. It’s a great place to explore.

Anna: Wow! That's exciting. What about southern Vietnam?

Ms Hoa: You can go to the Mekong River Delta to enjoy don ca tai tu - a form of traditional folk singing. Local artists perform don ca tai tu everywhere - at parties, in fruit gardens, even on the floating market boats.

Peter: It’s a great way to promote this kind of cultural heritage of southern Viet Nam.

Ms Hoa: Indeed. Now, please discuss in your group and let me know your field trip ideas.

1
16 tháng 9 2023

Tạm dịch:

Cô Hoa: Chào buổi sáng các bạn. Là một phần của chương trình văn hóa trường học, chúng ta cần lập kế hoạch cho một chuyến đi tham quan đến một di sản tại Việt Nam. Vậy, các bạn muốn đi đâu?

Petter: Cô có gợi ý gì cho chúng tôi không, cô Hoa?

Cô Hoa: Tôi khuyên các bạn nên đến khu du lịch sinh thái Tràng An. Đây là địa điểm duy nhất tại Đông Nam Á được UNESCO công nhận là di sản hỗn hợp.

Peter: Di sản hỗn hợp là gì?

Cô Hoa: Đó là một địa điểm có tính quan trọng về cả mặt tự nhiên và văn hóa. Ví dụ, bạn có thể đi du thuyền để thưởng ngoạn cảnh đẹp. Hoặc bạn có thể tham quan những ngôi đền cổ và di tích để tìm hiểu lịch sử Việt Nam.

Anna: Nghe thú vị nhỉ, nhưng nếu chúng tôi muốn tìm hiểu giá trị văn hóa của quá khứ, chúng tôi nên đi đâu?

Cô Hoa: Bạn có thể đến phố cổ Hội An ở miền trung Việt Nam. Bạn sẽ tìm hiểu về lối sống đô thị và truyền thống từ thế kỷ 15 đến thế kỷ 19 và sẽ thấy các ví dụ về kiến trúc cổ. Tất cả các tòa nhà được giữ nguyên trạng thái ban đầu của chúng. Đó là một nơi tuyệt vời để khám phá.

Anna: Wow! Thật thú vị. Còn miền Nam Việt Nam thì sao?

Cô Hoa: Bạn có thể đến vùng Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long để thưởng thức đờn ca tài tử - một hình thức ca hát dân gian truyền thống. Các nghệ sĩ địa phương biểu diễn đờn ca tài tử ở khắp mọi nơi - tại các buổi tiệc, trong vườn trái cây, thậm chí trên những chiếc thuyền chợ nổi.

Peter: Đó là một cách tuyệt vời để quảng bá di sản văn hóa miền Nam Việt Nam.

Cô Hoa: Thật vậy. Bây giờ, hãy thảo luận trong nhóm của bạn và cho tôi biết ý tưởng chuyến đi của bạn.

1. A: Where (you/go) _________________ last night? B: I (attend) _____________ my friend’s birthday party. It (be) ________________ fun. 2. Water (boil) ____________________ at 100 degrees Celsius. 3. A: (you/just/see) ____________________ Mary? B: No. We (not meet) _____________ each other for a long time. 4. A: __________ you (be) __________ to Phong Nha before? A: Yes. I (spend) _____________ my holiday there last summer. 5. Listen! Mai (play) _____________ the piano in her room. 6. Mrs...
Đọc tiếp

1. A: Where (you/go) _________________ last night?
B: I (attend) _____________ my friend’s birthday party. It (be) ________________ fun.
2. Water (boil) ____________________ at 100 degrees Celsius.
3. A: (you/just/see) ____________________ Mary?
B: No. We (not meet) _____________ each other for a long time.
4. A: __________ you (be) __________ to Phong Nha before?
A: Yes. I (spend) _____________ my holiday there last summer.
5. Listen! Mai (play) _____________ the piano in her room.
6. Mrs Hoa (teach) _____________ English in this school since she (leave) _____________
the university.
7. Would you like (listen) ______________ to some music?
8. Nam enjoys ( play) ______________ soccer after school.
9. Lan asked me (go) ______________ to the supermarket.
10.My father stopped (smoke) ______________ five years ago.
11.They used (go) ______________ to work by train.
12.Don’t let children (play) ______________ with matches.

1
8 tháng 4 2020

1. did you go / attended / was

2. boils

3. Have you just seen / have not met

4. have you ever been / spent

5. is playing

6. has taught / left

7.to listen

8.playing

9. to go

10. smoking

11. to go

12. play

Giai giúp mình với ạ Exercise 1. You may have to change the form of the words. scholarship internship doctorate qualification postgraduate academic professional subject vocational critical thinking 1. If you want a…………..career, you will need to go to university and get a degree. 2. Their school offers a wide range of……………in the humanities and sciences.3. It is essential to regard……………training as a part of a youngster's education. 4. At the age of eighteen, he gained a mathematical……………at...
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Giai giúp mình với ạ

 

Exercise 1. You may have to change the form of the words.

scholarship

internship

doctorate

qualification

postgraduate

academic

professional

subject

vocational

critical thinking

1. If you want a…………..career, you will need to go to university and get a degree.

2. Their school offers a wide range of……………in the humanities and sciences.

3. It is essential to regard……………training as a part of a youngster's education.

4. At the age of eighteen, he gained a mathematical……………at Trinity College, Cambridge.

5. To become a teacher of that famous high school, he has been required to show a number of ………………..

6. The student desiring to proceed to the ……………….. is free from examinations thereafter until he presents his thesis for the doctor's degree.

7. We need……………to evaluate and improve our creative ideas.

8. She had a long……………before starting her career as a general practitioner.

9. Most of the lecturers in the faculty hold……………degrees.

10. She has been offered a teaching job and decided to return to……………life.

1
22 tháng 2 2022

1.vocational

2.subject

3.critical thinking

4.decorate

5.qualification

 

6.professional

7.academic

 

8.scholarship

9.postgraduate

10.internship

The Penny Black It might not have looked very impressive, but the Penny Black, now 170 years old, was the first stamp to be created and it launched the modem postal system in Britain. Before 1840 and the arrival of the Penny Black, you had to be rich and patient to use the Royal Mail. Delivery was charged according to the miles travelled and the number of sheets of paper used; a 2-page letter sent from Edinburgh to London, for example, would have cost 2 shillings, or more than £7 in today’s...
Đọc tiếp
The Penny Black

It might not have looked very impressive, but the Penny Black, now 170 years old, was the first stamp to be created and it launched the modem postal system in Britain.

Before 1840 and the arrival of the Penny Black, you had to be rich and patient to use the Royal Mail. Delivery was charged according to the miles travelled and the number of sheets of paper used; a 2-page letter sent from Edinburgh to London, for example, would have cost 2 shillings, or more than £7 in today’s money. And when the top-hatted letter carrier came to deliver it, it was the recipient who had to pay for the postage. Letter writers employed various ruses to reduce the cost, doing everything possible to cram more words onto a page. Nobody bothered with heavy envelopes; instead, letters would be folded and sealed with wax. You then had to find a post office - there were no pillar boxes - and hope your addressee didn't live in one of the several rural areas which were not served by the system. If you were lucky, your letter would arrive (it could take days) without being read or censored.

The state of mail had been causing concern throughout the 1830s, but it was Rowland Hill, an inventor, teacher and social reformer from Kidderminster, who proposed a workable plan for change. Worried that a dysfunctional, costly service would stifle communication just as Britain was in the swing of its second industrial revolution, he believed reform would ease the distribution of ideas and stimulate trade and business, delivering the same promise as the new railways.

Hill’s proposal for the penny post, which meant any letter weighing less than half an ounce (14 grams) could be sent anywhere in Britain for about 30p in today’s money, was so radical that the Postmaster General, Lord Lichfield, said, 'Of all the wild and visionary schemes which I ever heard of, it is the most extravagant.’ Lord Lichfield spoke for an establishment not convinced of the need for poor people to post anything. But merchants and reformers backed Hill. Soon the government told him to make his scheme work. And that meant inventing a new type of currency.

Hill quickly settled on 'a bit of paper covered at the back with a glutinous wash which the user might, by applying a little moisture, attach to the back of a letter’. Stamps would be printed in sheets of 240 that could be cut using scissors or a knife. Perforations would not arrive until 1854. The idea stuck, and in August 1839 the Treasury launched a design competition open to ‘all artists, men of science and the public in general’. The new stamp would need to be resistant to forgery, and so it was a submission by one Mr Cheverton that Hill used as the basis for one of the most striking designs in history. Cheverton, who worked as a sculptor and an engineer, determined that a portrait of Queen Victoria, engraved for a commemorative coin when she was a 15-year-old princess, was detailed enough to make copying difficult, and recognisable enough to make fakes easy to spot. The words ‘Postage’ and ‘One Penny’ were added alongside flourishes and ornamental stars. Nobody thought to add the word ‘Britain’, as it was assumed that the stamps would solely be put to domestic use.

With the introduction of the new postal system, the Penny Black was an instant hit, and printers struggled to meet demand. By the end of 1840, more than 160 million letters had been sent - more than double the previous year. It created more work for the post office, whose reform continued with the introduction of red letter boxes, new branches and more frequent deliveries, even to the remotest address, but its lasting impact on society was more remarkable.

Hill and his supporters rightly predicted that cheaper post would improve the ‘diffusion of knowledge’. Suddenly, someone in Scotland could be reached by someone in London within a day or two. And as literacy improved, sections of society that had been disenfranchised found a voice.

Tristram Hunt, an historian, values the ‘flourishing of correspondence’ that followed the arrival of stamps. ‘While I was writing my biography of Friedrich Engels I could read the letters he and Marx sent between Manchester and London,’ he says. ‘They wrote to each other three times a day, pinging ideas back and forth so that you can almost follow a real-time correspondence.’

The penny post also changed the nature of the letter. Weight-saving tricks such as cross-writing began to die out, while the arrival of envelopes built confidence among correspondents that mail would not be stolen or read. And so people wrote more private things - politically or commercially sensitive information or love letters. ‘In the early days of the penny post, there was still concern about theft,’ Hunt says. ‘Engels would still send Marx money by ripping up five-pound notes and sending the pieces in different letters.’ But the probity of the postal system became a great thing and it came to be expected that your mail would not be tampered with.

For all its brilliance, the Penny Black was technically a failure. At first, post offices used red ink to cancel stamps so that they could not be used again. But the ink could be removed. When in 1842, it was determined that black ink would be more robust, the colour of the Penny Black became a sort of browny red, but Hill’s brainchild had made its mark.

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

1. One of the characteristics of the postal service before the 1840s was that

A. postmen were employed by various organisations.
B. letters were restricted to a certain length.
C. distance affected the price of postage.
D. the price of delivery kept going up.

2. Letter writers in the 1830s

A. were not responsible for the cost of delivery.
B. tried to fit more than one letter into an envelope.
C. could only send letters to people living in cities.
D. knew all letters were automatically read by postal staff.

3. What does the text say about Hill in the 1830s?

A. He was the first person to express concern about the postal system.
B. He considered it would be more efficient for mail to be delivered by rail.
C. He felt that postal service reform was necessary for commercial development.
D. His plan received support from all the important figures of the day.

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30 tháng 7 2019
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

1. One of the characteristics of the postal service before the 1840s was that

A. postmen were employed by various organisations.
B. letters were restricted to a certain length.
C. distance affected the price of postage.
D. the price of delivery kept going up.

2. Letter writers in the 1830s

A. were not responsible for the cost of delivery.
B. tried to fit more than one letter into an envelope.
C. could only send letters to people living in cities.
D. knew all letters were automatically read by postal staff.

3. What does the text say about Hill in the 1830s?

A. He was the first person to express concern about the postal system.
B. He considered it would be more efficient for mail to be delivered by rail.
C. He felt that postal service reform was necessary for commercial development.
D. His plan received support from all the important figures of the day.

30 tháng 7 2019
The Penny Black

It might not have looked very impressive, but the Penny Black, now 170 years old, was the first stamp to be created and it launched the modem postal system in Britain.

Before 1840 and the arrival of the Penny Black, you had to be rich and patient to use the Royal Mail. Delivery was charged according to the miles travelled and the number of sheets of paper used; a 2-page letter sent from Edinburgh to London, for example, would have cost 2 shillings, or more than £7 in today’s money. And when the top-hatted letter carrier came to deliver it, it was the recipient who had to pay for the postage. Letter writers employed various ruses to reduce the cost, doing everything possible to cram more words onto a page. Nobody bothered with heavy envelopes; instead, letters would be folded and sealed with wax. You then had to find a post office - there were no pillar boxes - and hope your addressee didn't live in one of the several rural areas which were not served by the system. If you were lucky, your letter would arrive (it could take days) without being read or censored.

The state of mail had been causing concern throughout the 1830s, but it was Rowland Hill, an inventor, teacher and social reformer from Kidderminster, who proposed a workable plan for change. Worried that a dysfunctional, costly service would stifle communication just as Britain was in the swing of its second industrial revolution, he believed reform would ease the distribution of ideas and stimulate trade and business, delivering the same promise as the new railways.

Hill’s proposal for the penny post, which meant any letter weighing less than half an ounce (14 grams) could be sent anywhere in Britain for about 30p in today’s money, was so radical that the Postmaster General, Lord Lichfield, said, 'Of all the wild and visionary schemes which I ever heard of, it is the most extravagant.’ Lord Lichfield spoke for an establishment not convinced of the need for poor people to post anything. But merchants and reformers backed Hill. Soon the government told him to make his scheme work. And that meant inventing a new type of currency.

Hill quickly settled on 'a bit of paper covered at the back with a glutinous wash which the user might, by applying a little moisture, attach to the back of a letter’. Stamps would be printed in sheets of 240 that could be cut using scissors or a knife. Perforations would not arrive until 1854. The idea stuck, and in August 1839 the Treasury launched a design competition open to ‘all artists, men of science and the public in general’. The new stamp would need to be resistant to forgery, and so it was a submission by one Mr Cheverton that Hill used as the basis for one of the most striking designs in history. Cheverton, who worked as a sculptor and an engineer, determined that a portrait of Queen Victoria, engraved for a commemorative coin when she was a 15-year-old princess, was detailed enough to make copying difficult, and recognisable enough to make fakes easy to spot. The words ‘Postage’ and ‘One Penny’ were added alongside flourishes and ornamental stars. Nobody thought to add the word ‘Britain’, as it was assumed that the stamps would solely be put to domestic use.

With the introduction of the new postal system, the Penny Black was an instant hit, and printers struggled to meet demand. By the end of 1840, more than 160 million letters had been sent - more than double the previous year. It created more work for the post office, whose reform continued with the introduction of red letter boxes, new branches and more frequent deliveries, even to the remotest address, but its lasting impact on society was more remarkable.

Hill and his supporters rightly predicted that cheaper post would improve the ‘diffusion of knowledge’. Suddenly, someone in Scotland could be reached by someone in London within a day or two. And as literacy improved, sections of society that had been disenfranchised found a voice.

Tristram Hunt, an historian, values the ‘flourishing of correspondence’ that followed the arrival of stamps. ‘While I was writing my biography of Friedrich Engels I could read the letters he and Marx sent between Manchester and London,’ he says. ‘They wrote to each other three times a day, pinging ideas back and forth so that you can almost follow a real-time correspondence.’

The penny post also changed the nature of the letter. Weight-saving tricks such as cross-writing began to die out, while the arrival of envelopes built confidence among correspondents that mail would not be stolen or read. And so people wrote more private things - politically or commercially sensitive information or love letters. ‘In the early days of the penny post, there was still concern about theft,’ Hunt says. ‘Engels would still send Marx money by ripping up five-pound notes and sending the pieces in different letters.’ But the probity of the postal system became a great thing and it came to be expected that your mail would not be tampered with.

For all its brilliance, the Penny Black was technically a failure. At first, post offices used red ink to cancel stamps so that they could not be used again. But the ink could be removed. When in 1842, it was determined that black ink would be more robust, the colour of the Penny Black became a sort of browny red, but Hill’s brainchild had made its mark.

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

1. One of the characteristics of the postal service before the 1840s was that

A. postmen were employed by various organisations.
B. letters were restricted to a certain length.
C. distance affected the price of postage.
D. the price of delivery kept going up.

2. Letter writers in the 1830s

A. were not responsible for the cost of delivery.
B. tried to fit more than one letter into an envelope.
C. could only send letters to people living in cities.
D. knew all letters were automatically read by postal staff.

3. What does the text say about Hill in the 1830s?

A. He was the first person to express concern about the postal system.
B. He considered it would be more efficient for mail to be delivered by rail.
C. He felt that postal service reform was necessary for commercial development.
D. His plan received support from all the important figures of the day.