托福听力短文 I-06-2

(man) Let's proceed to the main exhibit hall and look at some of the actual vehicles that have played a prominent role in speeding up mail delivery. Consider how long it used to take to send a letter across a relatively¹ short distance. Back in the 1600's it took two weeks on horseback to get a letter from Boston to New York, a distance of about 260 miles. Crossing a river was also a challenge. Ferry service was so irregular that a carrier would sometimes wait hours just to catch a ferry. For journeys inland, there was always the stagecoach², but the ride was by no means comfortable because it had to be shared with other passengers. The post office was pretty ingenious about some routes. In the nineteenth century, in the Southwestern desert, for instance, camels were brought in to help get the mail through. In Alaska, reindeer³ were used. This practice was discontinued because of the disagreeable temperament⁴ of these animals.

We'll stop here a minute so that you can enter this replica⁵ of a railway mail car. It was during the Age of the Iron Horse that delivery really started to pick up. In fact, the United States transported most bulk mail by train for nearly 100 years. The first airmail service didn't start until 1918.

Please take a few moments to look around. I hope you'll enjoy your tour. And as you continue on your own, may I suggest you visit our impressive philatelic collection. Not only can you look at some of the more unusual stamps issues, but there is an interesting exhibit on how stamps are made.

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 stagecoach   

n.公共马车

参考例句：

• She's getting off the stagecoach.她正在下马车。
• The stagecoach driver cracked the whip.驿站马车的车夫抽响了鞭子。

3 reindeer   

n.驯鹿

参考例句：

• The herd of reindeer was being trailed by a pack of wolves.那群驯鹿被一只狼群寻踪追赶上来。
• The life of the Reindeer men was a frontier life.驯鹿时代人的生活是一种边区生活。

4 temperament   

n.气质，性格，性情

参考例句：

• The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
• Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。

5 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。