Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, you might think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, and you'd be right, but its early designs were quite different from what we see today. The first two-wheeled vehicle, called the 'draisine', was invented by Karl von Drais in 1817. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, leading to the famous 'penny-farthing' with its huge front wheel. However, it wasn't until the 1880s that the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels became popular, making cycling much safer and more accessible to the general public.
❓ What was a key feature of the 'draisine' invented in 1817?
A. A. It had pedals attached to the front wheel.
B. B. It was powered by the rider pushing feet on the ground.
C. C. It had two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive.
D. D. It was designed specifically for racing.
✅ 正确答案
B. It was powered by the rider pushing feet on the ground.