【答案解析】[听力原文]11-20 Hello, and welcome to this week's edition of "Tell Me More", the program where you ask the questions and we provide the answers. And we've had a wide variety of questions from you this week. And the subject we have picked for you this week in response to your many letters is "The Production of Postage Stamps". And, as usual, we've Men doing our homework on the subject. So, who designed the postage stamps that we stick on our letters? Well, in Australia, the design of postage stamps is in the hands of Australia Post. In Britain, it's the Royal Mail that looks after the stamps. And it seems that both countries have a similar approach to the production process. We discovered, to our surprise, that it can take up to two years to produce a new postage stamp. "Why is that now?" you ask. "Surely it can't be all that difficult to design a stamp?" In fact, it isn't. But it seems it's a lengthy business. Firstly, they have to choose the subject. And this is done with the help of market research. Members of the general public, including families, are surveyed to find out what sort of things they would like to see on their stamps. They're given a list of possible topics and asked to rank them. A list is then presented to the advisory committee, which meets about once a month. The committee is made up of outside designers, graphic artists, and stamp collectors. If the committee liked the list, it sends it up to the board of directors, which makes the final decision. Then, they commission an artist. In Australia, artists are paid $1,500 for a stamp design and a further $ 800 if the committee actually decides to use the design. So there's a possibility that a stamp might be. designed, but still never actually go into circulation. So, what kind of topics are acceptable? Well, the most important thing is that they must be of national interest. And because a stamp needs to represent the country in some way, characters from books are popular. Or, you often find national animals and birds. So, of course, the kangaroo is a favorite in Australia. With the notable exception of members of the British Royal Family, no living people ever appear on Australian or British stamps. This policy is under review, but many stamp enthusiasts see good reason for keeping it that way to avoid the possibility of people in power using their influence to get onto the stamps. Every year, the Royal Mail in Britain receives about 2,000 ideas for stamps, but very few of them are ever used. One favorite topic is kings and queens. For instance, King Henry VIII, famous for his six wives, has recently appeared on a British stamp, together with a stamp featuring each of his wives. But despite the extensive research, which is clone before a stamp is produced, it seems it's hard to please everybody. And apparently, all sorts of people write to the post office to say that they loved or hated a particular series. The stamp that caused the most concern ever in Australia was a picture of Father Christmas surfing on the beach. And when you consider that the practical function of a stamp is only as a receipt for postage, I think perhaps the importance accorded to stamps has got out of all proportion. Well, that's all for today. If there's a subject you want us to tell you more about, drop us a line...
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[听力原文]11-20 Hello, and welcome to this week's edition of "Tell Me More", the program where you ask the questions and we provide the answers. And we've had a wide variety of questions from you this week. And the subject we have picked for you this week in response to your many letters is "The Production of Postage Stamps". And, as usual, we've Men doing our homework on the subject. So, who designed the postage stamps that we stick on our letters? Well, in Australia, the design of postage stamps is in the hands of Australia Post. In Britain, it's the Royal Mail that looks after the stamps. And it seems that both countries have a similar approach to the production process. We discovered, to our surprise, that it can take up to two years to produce a new postage stamp. "Why is that now?" you ask. "Surely it can't be all that difficult to design a stamp?" In fact, it isn't. But it seems it's a lengthy business. Firstly, they have to choose the subject. And this is done with the help of market research. Members of the general public, including families, are surveyed to find out what sort of things they would like to see on their stamps. They're given a list of possible topics and asked to rank them. A list is then presented to the advisory committee, which meets about once a month. The committee is made up of outside designers, graphic artists, and stamp collectors. If the committee liked the list, it sends it up to the board of directors, which makes the final decision. Then, they commission an artist. In Australia, artists are paid $1,500 for a stamp design and a further $ 800 if the committee actually decides to use the design. So there's a possibility that a stamp might be. designed, but still never actually go into circulation. So, what kind of topics are acceptable? Well, the most important thing is that they must be of national interest. And because a stamp needs to represent the country in some way, characters from books are popular. Or, you often find national animals and birds. So, of course, the kangaroo is a favorite in Australia. With the notable exception of members of the British Royal Family, no living people ever appear on Australian or British stamps. This policy is under review, but many stamp enthusiasts see good reason for keeping it that way to avoid the possibility of people in power using their influence to get onto the stamps. Every year, the Royal Mail in Britain receives about 2,000 ideas for stamps, but very few of them are ever used. One favorite topic is kings and queens. For instance, King Henry VIII, famous for his six wives, has recently appeared on a British stamp, together with a stamp featuring each of his wives. But despite the extensive research, which is clone before a stamp is produced, it seems it's hard to please everybody. And apparently, all sorts of people write to the post office to say that they loved or hated a particular series. The stamp that caused the most concern ever in Australia was a picture of Father Christmas surfing on the beach. And when you consider that the practical function of a stamp is only as a receipt for postage, I think perhaps the importance accorded to stamps has got out of all proportion. Well, that's all for today. If there's a subject you want us to tell you more about, drop us a line...