雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to talk about the history of the bicycle. Now, many people believe that the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, the first two-wheeled vehicle, called the 'draisine', appeared in 1817 in Germany. It had no pedals, so riders had to push their feet against the ground to move forward. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the 'velocipede'. However, this early design was very uncomfortable because of the solid rubber tires and the rigid frame. It wasn't until the 1880s that the modern bicycle, with a chain drive and pneumatic tires, was developed, making cycling much smoother and more efficient.