雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning. Today we're going to look at the history of the bicycle. Now, many people think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, and that's partly true. The first two-wheeled vehicle, called the 'draisine', appeared in 1817, but it had no pedals. You pushed it along with your feet. Then, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the 'velocipede'. However, this was very uncomfortable because of the solid rubber tires. It wasn't until 1885 that the 'safety bicycle' was developed, with a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels, making it much safer and more practical for everyday use.