Any mistake made in the printing of a stamp raises its value to stamp collectors. A mistake on one
inexpensive postage stamp has made the stamp worth a million and a half times its original value. The
mistake was made more than a hundred years ago in the British colony of Mauritius, a small island in
the Indian Ocean. In 1847 an order for stamps was sent to a London printer-Mauritius was to become
the fourth country in the world to issue (发行) stamps.
     Before the order was filled and delivered, a ball was planned at Mauritius' Government House, and
stamps were needed to send out the invitations. A local printer was instructed to copy the design for
the stamps. He accidentally printed the words "Post Office" instead of "Post Paid" on the several hundred
stamps.
     Today there are only twenty-six of these misprinted stamps left fourteen One Penny Orange-Reds and
twelve Two Penny Blues. Because of the Two Penny Blue's rareness and age, collectors have paid as much
as ＄16,800 for it.

1. Over a century ago, Mauritius _____.

A. was an independent country
B. belonged to India
C. was one of the British colonies
D. was a small island in the Pacific Ocean

2. The mistake on the stamps was made _____.

A. in Mauritius
B. at Mauritius Government House
C. in a post office
D. in London

3. Stamp collectors have paid ＄16, 800 for _____.

A. fourteen One Penny Orange-Reds
B. twelve Two Penny Blues
C. One Penny Orange-Red
D. one Two Penny Blue