Mail carriers will be delivering some good news and some bad news this week.
本周，邮递员会带来一些好消息和一些坏消息。
The bad news: Stamp prices are expected to rise 2 cents in May to 41 cents, the Postal Regulatory Commission announced yesterday. The good news: With the introduction of a “forever stamp,” it may be the last time Americans have to use annoying 2-or-3-cent stamps to make up postage differences.
坏消息：邮政管理委员会昨天宣布，5月份预计邮票价格将上涨2美分，至41美分。好消息：随着“永久邮票”的推出，这可能是美国人最后一次不得不使用令人讨厌的2或3美分邮票来弥补邮费差额。
Beginning in May, people would be able to purchase the stamps in booklets of 20 at the regular rate of a first-class stamp. As the name implies, “forever stamps” will keep their first-class mailing value forever, even when the postage rate goes up.
从5月开始，人们可以以普通邮票的价格购买20册邮票。顾名思义，“永久邮票”将永远保持其普通邮票的邮寄价值，即使邮资上涨。
The new “forever stamp” is the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) answer to the complaints about frequent rate increases. The May increase will be the fifth in a decade. Postal rates have risen because of inflation, competition from online bill paying, and the rising costs of employee benefits, including healthcare, says Mark Saunders, a spokesman for USPS.
新的“永久邮票”是美国邮政服务局（USPS）对频繁加价投诉的回应。5月份的增幅将是十年来的第五次。由于通货膨胀，邮政费率上涨，USPS发言人马克·桑德斯表示，来自在线账单支付的竞争，以及包括医疗保健在内的员工福利成本的上升。
The USPS expects some financial gain from sales of the “forever stamp” and the savings from not printing as many 2-or-3-cent stamps. “It’s not your grandfather’s stamp,” says Mr. Saunders. “It could be your great-grandchildren’s stamp.”
USPS预计，“永久邮票”的销售将带来一定的经济收益，而不印那么多2或3美分的邮票也将节省开支。桑德斯先生说：“这不是你祖父的邮票，这可能是你曾孙的邮票。”
Other countries, including Canada, England, and Finland use similar stamps.
其他国家，包括加拿大、英国和芬兰也使用类似的邮票。
Don Schilling, who has collected stamps for 50 years, says he’s interested in the public’s reaction. “This is an entirely new class of stamps.” Mr. Schilling says. He adds that he’ll buy the stamps because he will be able to use them for a long period of time, not because they could make him rich — the volume printed will be too large for collectors. “We won’t be able to send our kids to college on these,” he says, laughing.
收藏邮票已有50年的唐·席林表示，他对公众的反应很感兴趣。“这是一种全新的邮票。”席林先生说。他补充说，他会购买这些邮票，因为他将能够长期使用，而不是因为会让他变得富有——印刷量对收藏家来说太大了。他笑着说：“我们不能靠这些送孩子上大学”。
The USPS board of governors has yet to accept the Postal Regulatory Commission’s decision, but tends to follow its recommendations. No plans have been announced yet for the design of the stamps.
USPS董事会尚未接受邮政管理委员会的决定，但倾向于遵循其建议。邮票的设计计划尚未公布。
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