ReadingComprehensionMailcarrierswillbedeliveringsomegoodnewsandsomebadnewsthisweek．Thebadnews：Stamppricesareexpectedtorise2centsinMayto41centsthePostalRegulato

　　ReadingComprehension

　　Mailcarrierswillbedeliveringsomegoodnewsandsomebadnewsthisweek．

　　Thebadnews：Stamppricesareexpectedtorise2centsinMayto41centsthePostalRegulatoryCommissionannouncedyesterday．Thegoodnews：Withtheintroductionofa“foreverstamp”itmaybethelasttimeAmericanshavetouseannoying2-or-3-centstampstomakeuppostagedifferences．

　　BeginninginMaypeoplewouldbeabletopurchasethestampsinbookletsof20attheregularrateofafirst-classstamp．Asthenameimplies“foreverstamps”willkeeptheirfirst-classmailingvalueforeverevenwhenthepostagerategoesup．

　　Thenew“foreverstamp”istheUnitedStatesPostalService’s(USPS)answertothecomplaintsaboutfrequentrateincreases．TheMayincreaseswillbethefifthinadecade．Postalrateshaverisenbecauseofinflation(通货膨胀)，competitionfromonlinebillpayingandtherisingcostsofemployeebenefitsincludinghealthcaresaysMarkSaundersaspokesmanforUSPS．

　　TheUSPSexpectssomefinancialgainfromsalesofthe“foreverstamp”andthesavingsfromnotprintingasmany2-or-3-centstamps．“It’snotyourgrandfather’sstamp”saysMr．Saunders．“Itcouldbeyourgreat-grandchildren’sstamp．”

　　OthercountriesincludingCanadaEnglandandFinlandusesimilarstamps．

　　DonSchillingwhohascollectedstampsfor50yearssayshe’sinterestedinthepublic’sreaction．“Thisisanentirelynewclassofstamps．”Mr．Schillingsays．Headdsthathe’llbuythestampsbecausehewillbeabletousethemforalongperiodoftimenotbecausetheycouldmakehimrich－thevolumeprintedwillbetoolargeforcollectors．“Wewon’tbeabletosendourkidstocollegeonthese”hesayslaughing．

　　TheUSPSboardofgovernorshasyettoacceptthePostalRegulatoryCommission’sdecisionbuttendstofollowitsrecommendations．Noplanshavebeenannouncedyetforthedesignofthestamps．

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