雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. It's often said that the first bicycle was invented in the early 19th century, but its design was quite different from what we see today. The earliest model, called the 'velocipede', had no pedals and was pushed along by the rider's feet. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, which made riding faster but also more dangerous. It wasn't until the 1880s, with the invention of the chain drive and the safety bicycle, that cycling became popular among ordinary people. The safety bicycle had two wheels of equal size and a chain connecting the pedals to the rear wheel, which provided more stability and comfort.