雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but its origins actually go back further. In 1817, a German inventor named Karl von Drais created a two-wheeled machine called the 'Draisine', which had no pedals. Riders pushed themselves along with their feet. It wasn't until the 1860s that pedals were added, in France. However, the real breakthrough came in 1885 when John Kemp Starley designed the 'Rover Safety Bicycle', which had a chain drive and equal-sized wheels. This design made cycling much safer and more practical, leading to a boom in popularity.