Question

About 150 years ago, the person who sent the letter did not have to pay. The person who got the letter had to pay the postage (郵資) which cost a lot.
　　In a small village in England, “Here’s a letter for Miss Alice Brown,” said a mailman. “I’m Alice Brown,” a girl of about eighteen said in a low voice. The mailman gave her the letter.
　　Alice looked at the envelope(信封) for a minute, and then handed it back to the mailman.
　　“I’m sorry I can’t take it,” she said. “I don’t have enough money to pay the postage.”
　　The people standing around were very sorry for the girl. Then a gentleman came up to the mailman and paid the postage for Alice’s letter.
　　When the gentleman gave her the letter, she said with a smile, “Oh, thank you very much, sir. This letter is from my brother who went to London to look for jobs. I’ve waited a long time for this letter, but now I don’t need it. I don’t have to open the envelope because there is nothing inside.”
　　“Really?” the gentleman said in surprise. “How do you know that?” “He told me that he would put some signs on the envelope. Look, sir, this cross in the corner means that he is well, and this circle means he has found a job. That’s very good news.”
　　The gentleman was Sir Rowland Hill. He did not forget Alice and her letter.
　　He thought and thought for many years. “The postage has to be much lower,” he said at last. “What about a penny (便士) for a letter? And the person who sends the letter pays the postage. He has to buy a stamp and put it on the envelope.”
　　The government decided to adopt (采納) the plan. The first stamp was put out in 1840. It was called the “Penny Black”. It had a picture of the Queen on it.
根據短文內容填空，每空填一詞。
小題1: About 150 years ago, the person who sent the letter didn’t have to pay for the postage_________ the person who _________ the letter had to.
小題2:The gentleman felt very __________ when the girl said there wasn’t _________ inside the envelope.
小題3: Alice’s brother was such a _________ young man that he just put some ________ on the envelope to tell her sister he was well.
小題4:In 1840, the first stamp _________ the “Penny Black” was put out ________ a picture of the Queen on it.
小題5:After that, people needed to ________ a penny buying a _______ to send a letter.

Answer 1

小題1:while; got/received
小題2:surprised; anything
小題3:clever/smart; signs
小題4:called; with
小題5:spend; stamp

試題分析：這是一篇關于付資郵票起源的歷史小故事。故事發生在一百多年前的英國。當時的情況是，寫信人不用付郵資，收信人在收到信件時才付郵資，且郵資十分昂貴。一位小姐收到男友的來信，看了看信封又交給了郵差。她說自己付不起錢。這時一位名叫Sir Rowland Hill的紳士替她付了錢。接下來，這位小姐便給大家講了自己不拆開信的緣由和一個很感動人的故事。Sir Rowland Hill.從這件事上很受啟發。他決定改變這種狀況。后來政府采納了Sir Rowland Hill.的建議，于是世界上第一枚付資郵票從些便產生了。
小題1:根據文中第一段About 150 years ago, the person who sent the letter did not have to pay. The person who got the letter had to pay the postage (郵資) which cost a lot.（在大約150年前，郵信的人不必付錢，收信的不得不付高昂的郵資）可知此題需填while; got/received。
小題2:根據文中提示當姑娘說信內什么也沒有時，這個紳士感到很驚訝，給此題填surprised; anything。
小題3:根據文中提示姑娘的哥哥非常聰明，他只是在信封上畫一些標記來告訴他妹妹他很好，所以此題填clever/smart; signs。
小題4:根據文中原句The first stamp was put out in 1840. It was called the “Penny Black”. It had a picture of the Queen on it.（第一張郵票在1840年產生，它叫Penny Black，上面有女王的畫像）可知此題需填called; with。
小題5:根據文中提示“What about a penny (便士) for a letter? And the person who sends the letter pays the postage. He has to buy a stamp and put it on the envelope.”（一便士一封信怎么樣？郵信的人付郵資，他不得不買一張郵票放在信封上）可知此題應填spend; stamp。