雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to look at the history of the bicycle. Now, many people think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, early prototypes appeared in the late 18th century in France. These were called 'velocipedes' and had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. However, the first really popular design came in 1817, when a German inventor added a steering mechanism. It wasn't until the 1860s that pedals were attached to the front wheel, and this design became known as the 'boneshaker' due to its uncomfortable ride. The modern chain-driven bicycle with two equal-sized wheels emerged in the 1880s, which made cycling much safer and more efficient.