雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, class. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. The first two-wheeled vehicle, called a draisine, was invented in Germany 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 in France. However, these early bicycles were uncomfortable because of their solid rubber tires. It wasn't until 1888 that John Boyd Dunlop invented the pneumatic tire, which made riding much smoother. This innovation greatly increased the popularity of cycling.