Calling It Quits after Four Centuries: Denmark to End Letter Delivery
Denmark’s state-run postal service, PostNord, announced that it would cease letter deliveries at the end of 2025 due to the impact of digitalization. As 95% of its residents now use the Digital Post service, Denmark has seen a 90% decline in letter volumes since 2000, from 1.4 billion to 110 million last year.
On top ofthat, the Postal Act of 2024 removes the government’s obligation to provide universal mail service and puts an end to postal exemptions from value-added tax, raising the cost of a single letter to 29 Danish krone (US$4.20). As a result, PostNord is switching its focus to parcel deliveries, a change that may cause 1,500 job cuts. After 400 years of relying on the postal service, Danes will soon have to turn to private companies for letter delivery.
What Did You Learn?
1. What has caused the number of letters in Denmark to decrease?
If we could travel at the speed of light, time would cease to exist.
倘若我們能以光速行進，那麼時間就會不存在了。
If we could travel at the speed of light, time would cease existing.
倘若我們能以光速行進，那麼時間就會不存在了。
The neighbor’s dog barked without cease and kept me awake all night.
鄰居的狗叫個不停，害我整晚沒睡。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
digitalization
[͵dɪdʒətələˋzeʃən]
n. 數位化
The government is promoting the digitalization of public services.
政府正在推動公共服務數位化。
●
digital
[ˋdɪdʒɪt!]
a. 數位的
Nowadays, smartphones contain digital cameras, and that's why digital cameras themselves have become less popular.
如今，智慧手機包含了數位相機，這就是為什麼數位相機本身變得沒那麼受歡迎的原因。
Sales of digital music albums greatly outnumber sales of physical albums. 數位音樂專輯的銷量大大超過了實體專輯的銷量。
高中 Level 4
●
decline
[dɪˋklaɪn]
n. & vi. 下跌
vt. & vt. 婉拒
=
decrease
Bob declined to join Judy’s dinner party.
鮑伯婉拒出席茱蒂的晚宴派對。
I offered to give Tina a ride after the party, but she declined.
舞會結束後我提議讓蒂娜搭便車，但她婉拒了。
Car sales declined by 5% in the second quarter.
汽車銷售量在第 2 季下降了 5%。
Street violence seems to have been on the decline ever since the new mayor was sworn in.
新市長上任後，街頭暴力事件似乎已在減少中。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
volume
[ˋvɑljəm]
n. 量，容量；冊；音量
The volume of traffic reaches its peak during rush hour.
交通流量在上下班尖峰時間會達到高峰。
The history of the Roman Empire is in volumes 3 and 4.
羅馬帝國的歷史收錄在第 3、4 冊中。
Would you mindturning the volume down? I’m studying.
你介意把音量關小嗎？我正在唸書。
多益綠色
英檢初級
高中 Level 3
●
obligation
[͵ɑbləˋgeʃən]
n. （道德上、法律上的）義務，責任
We are under no obligation to answer any of your questions.
我們沒有義務要回答你的任何問題。
All parents have an obligation to take good care of their children.
所有父母都有義務要妥善照顧他們的孩子。
All parents are under an obligation to take good care of their children.
所有父母都有義務要妥善照顧他們的孩子。
高中 Level 5
●
parcel
[ˋpɑrs!]
vt. 分配（與介詞 out 並用）
n. 包裹〔英〕
=
package
Please take this parcel to the post office and have it sent immediately.
請把這個包裹拿到郵局立刻把它寄掉。
They plan to parcel the food out to different charities.
他們打算把食物分給不同的慈善機構。
高中 Level 3
●
code
[kod]
n. 密碼
vt. 編碼；加密碼
It took the specialist three years to break the code.
那位專家費時 3 年才將密碼破解。
You have to obey the dress code if you want to work here.
如果你想在這邊工作，就必須遵守服裝規定。
Each word on the list is coded to show the level of difficulty.
表上的所有字都加以編碼，以顯示其難度。
高中 Level 4
●
alternative
[ɔlˋtɝnətɪv]
n. 選擇，替代方案
a. 替代的
A huge typhoon is coming, so we have no alternative but to cancel the trip.
強烈的颱風即將來臨，因此我們只有取消行程別無選擇了。
An alternative way would be to travel by plane. 另一種可供選擇的方式就是搭飛機。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
reportedly
[rɪˋportɪdlɪ]
adv. 據報導
The toy company's profits reportedly topped US$100 million last year. 據傳那家玩具公司去年的利潤超過了一億美金。
英檢中高
●
distribute
[dɪˋstrɪbjʊt]
.vt. 分發，分配
=
deliver
The professor is distributing the examination
papers to the class.
該教授正在把考卷發給全班。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
suspicious
[səˋspɪʃəs]
a. 可疑的；多疑的，猜疑的
We saw a suspicious man standing near the school.
我們在學校附近看到一名可疑男子。
My girlfriend is a very suspicious person.
我女友是一個非常多疑的人。
Ted said he came here just to say hello, but I was suspiciousof his real intentions.
泰德說他來這裡只是打聲招呼，但我懷疑他真正的動機。
Ted said he came here just to say hello, but I suspected his real intentions.
泰德說他來這裡只是打聲招呼，但我懷疑他真正的動機。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
registered
[ˋrɛdʒɪstɚd]
a. 已註冊／登記的
Only registered users can access premium content on the website.
只有已註冊的用戶才能看到網站上的付費內容。
英檢中級
●
replace
[rɪˋples]
vt. 取代
I’m considering replacing my old PC with a notebook.
我正考慮把舊的個人電腦換成一臺新的筆記型電腦。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 3
Extra Words
●
postal
[ˋpost!]
adj. 郵政的
An increase in postal charges provoked a fierce debate in Congress. 郵費的調漲在國會引發了激烈爭辯。
多益金色
英檢中級
●
exemption
[ɪgˋzɛmpʃən]
n. 免除
●
krone
[ˋkronə]
n. 克朗（貨幣單位，使用國家有丹麥、 挪威、冰島、瑞典和捷克）
●
generate
[ˋdʒɛnə͵ret]
vt. 產生（光、電、熱）；造成，引起
The dam generates electricity for the local community.
該座水壩發電供當地社區使用。
Tourism generates more income for the seaside resort.
旅遊業為濱海勝地帶來較多的收入。
多益藍色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
●
passkey
[ˋpæs͵ki]
n. 通行金鑰（一種數位的身分驗證方 式，結合如指紋、臉部識別等生物識別技術，或設備之間 的加密金鑰來進行驗證）
●
biometric
[ ˌbaɪəˈmɛtrɪk ]
adj. 生物特徵辨識的
●
biometrics
[͵baɪəˋmɛtrɪks]
n. 生物特徵辨識
●
scan
[skæn]
vt. & n. & vi. 掃描
vt. & vi. 粗略地看
=
skim
Could you help me scan these old photographs into the computer?
你能不能幫我把這些老照片掃描進電腦裡？
Before the document could be emailed, it first had to be scanned.
需要先掃描文件後，才能用電子郵件寄出。
The scan showed that the cancer cells had spread, and the patient needed an immediate operation. 掃描結果顯示病患的癌細胞擴散了，需要立即動手術。
Peter scanned the Yellow Pages looking for the number of a plumber.
彼得概略看過工商電話簿，找尋水電行的電話。
Every morning, Jake likes to scan through the newspaper while eating breakfast.
傑克每天早上都喜歡邊瀏覽報紙邊吃早餐。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
scanning
[ˋskænɪŋ]
n. 掃描
●
fraudster
[ˋfrɔdstɚ]
n. 騙子；詐騙份子
●
spam
[ spæm ]
n. 垃圾電話／訊息／郵件
We need to find a way to block all the spam being posted on our blog.
我們需要找一個方法來阻擋張貼在我們部落格上的 垃圾訊息。
多益金色
●
phish
[fɪʃ]
vt. （網路）釣魚
●
value-added tax
增值稅（= VAT）
Practical Phrases
●
call it quits
決定停止；停止工作
●
on top of...
除了……之外
On top of English, Johnny also speaks German. 除了英文外，強尼還會說德文。
●
put an end to
結束／停止⋯⋯
The new law will put an end to illegal street vendors.
這項新法律將停止非法街頭攤販的活動。
●
log in / out
登入
If you have problems with your email, it is best to log out, then log back in.
若你的電子郵件出了問題，你最好先登出帳號，再登入回來。
●
replace A with B
以 B 取代 A，把 A 換成 B
I’m considering replacing my old PC with a notebook.
我正考慮把舊的個人電腦換成一臺新的筆記型電腦。
●
have access to sth
接觸到……；利用……
Students in this school have easy access to the lab.
該校的學生可隨時使用實驗室。
