Question

How can a small stamp be worth ＄16,800?

Any mistake made in the printing of a stamp raises its value to stamp collectors. A mistake on a two-penny stamp has made it worth a million and a half times its face value.

Do you think it impossible? Well, it is true. And this is how it happened.

The mistake was made more than a hundred years ago in the former British colony (前英国殖民地) of M auritius (毛里求斯岛), a small island in the Indian Ocean. In 1847 an order for stamps was sent to London. Mauritius was about to become the fourth country in the world to put out stamps.

Before the order was filled and the stamps arrived from England, a big dance was planned by the commander-in-chief (总司令) of all the armed forces on the island. The dance would be held in his house and letters of invitation would be sent to all the important people in Mauritius. Stamps were badly needed to post the letters. Therefore, an islander, who was a good printer, was told to copy the pattern of the stamps. He carelessly put the words “Post Office” instead of “Post Paid”, two words seen on stamps at that time, on the several hundred that he printed.

Today, there are only twenty-six of these misprinted stamps left--- fourteen One-penny Reds and twelve Two-penny Blues. Because there are so few Two-Penny Blues and because of their age, collectors have paid as much as ＄16,800 for one of them.

1.When a mistake is made in the printing of the stamp, the stamp___________.

A. will be thrown away

B. increases in value

C. is not worth buying

D. is worth no more than its face value

2.Why did Mauritius print some stamps too? Because__________.

A. London stamps were not well printed

B. London would not print them

C. invitations to a big dance had to be posted quickly

D. Mauritius had a very good printer

3.“Post Paid” means___________.

A. the same as “Post Office”

B. the Post Office is the place to buy stamps

C. money has been paid for the stamp

D. the letter must be posted

 

Answer 1

1.B

2.C

3.C

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文主要介绍了邮票印刷上的错误导致两便士的邮票在一百多年后会卖到16800美元。价格是当时面值的一百万零一倍。

1.】细节理解题。根据短文第二段Any mistake made in the printing of a stamp raises its value to stamp collectors.在邮票印刷上的任何错误对邮票收藏家来说都会提高邮票价值。故选B。

2.】细节理解题。根据第五段The dance would be held in his house and letters of invitation would be sent to all the important people in Mauritius. Stamps were badly needed to post the letters.描述，可知邀请函要被寄到岛上的重要人物手中，所以邮寄信的邮票被急需。故选C

3.词义猜测题。根据上下文可知是邮资已付。故选C。

考点：故事类短文阅读。