¡¡¡¡¢ó.Reading Comprehension (30 points, 2 points for each item)

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¡¡¡¡Passage One

¡¡¡¡Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.

¡¡¡¡When Rowland Hill, little more than a hundred years ago, first advocated the introduction of cheap postage in England, he had to face many opponents of the scheme; some said that it would not pay, others that it was unworkable. But Hill, supported by general public opinion, eventually overcame opposition, and late in 1839 the Penny Post was established. From then until the first world war the cost of sending a letter any distance within the United Kingdom remained at one penny. The gloomy prophecies (Ô¤ÑÔ) of the critics were not fulfilled: the profits of the Post Office were maintained and improvements in transport and administration made it possible not only to handle the increased volume of correspondence but also to extend postal facilities.

¡¡¡¡Before this great change took place, the charge for sending a letter varied according to the distance the letter was carried and had to be paid for on delivery by the person to whom it was addressed. The lowest charge was four pence and for long distances as much as eighteen pence. Such high rates, when wages were low, could rarely be afforded by poor people, who were often compelled to refuse letters from their dear ones because they were unable to pay. Under the new scheme, a letter was paid for by the sender, who affixed(ÌùÉÏ) to it an adhesive(Õ³µÄ) postage stamp, the cost of which was within reach of all. Thus the poor were enabled to exchange news with their relations and friends at a time when many of them had left their homes to seek work elsewhere.ª¤

¡¡¡¡Businessmen also found cheap postage a boom and, since it soon turned out to be a great financial success, the new scheme was, before long, adopted by every civilized country in the world¡ª¡ªa final tribute(Ã÷Ö¤) to the wisdom and vision of its promoter.

¡¡¡¡21. ¡°Some said that it (i.e. Rowland Hill's scheme) would not pay¡± means ________.

¡¡¡¡A. some said that people would refuse to pay for the schemeª¤

¡¡¡¡B. some said that the scheme would not be profitableª¤

¡¡¡¡C. some said that the scheme was not economicalª¤

¡¡¡¡D. some said that they did not have enough money to pay for the schemeª¥

¡¡¡¡22. Rowland Hill's system is known as the ¡®Penny post¡¯ ________.ª¥

¡¡¡¡A. because it undertook the delivery of all inland letters for the charge of one pennyª¤

¡¡¡¡B. since it was established late in 1839ª¤

¡¡¡¡C. because many people who used its facilities were poorª¤

¡¡¡¡D. as a result of the gloomy prophecies of those who had said scheme would not pay

¡¡¡¡23. Postal facilities were extended after the introduction of the Penny Post ________.

¡¡¡¡A. because the volume of correspondence increasedª¤

¡¡¡¡B. as a result of improvements in transport and administrationª¤

¡¡¡¡C. until the first world warª¤

¡¡¡¡D. provided that the cost of sending a letter remained at one pennyª¥