雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. The first two-wheeled vehicle, called the draisine, was invented in 1817 by a German baron. It had no pedals; riders pushed themselves along with their feet. Then, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the velocipede. However, it was very uncomfortable because of its solid rubber tires and wooden frame. The real breakthrough came in 1885 when John Kemp Starley designed the Rover Safety Bicycle, which had a chain-driven rear wheel and equally sized wheels, making it much safer and faster. This design became the basis for modern bicycles.