Good morning, class. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. You might think it's a simple invention, but its development took over a century. The first two-wheeled vehicle, called the 'draisine', appeared in 1817. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. In the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the 'velocipede'. However, this design was uncomfortable and hard to control. The breakthrough came in 1885 when John Kemp Starley introduced the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels. This design became the basis for modern bicycles. Interestingly, the pneumatic tire, invented in 1888 by John Boyd Dunlop, was initially intended for bicycles, not cars.
❓ 1885年に登場した安全自転車の主な利点は何でしたか？
A. A. 前輪にペダルが取り付けられていた。
B. B. チェーン駆動と等しい車輪により、より快適で制御しやすかった。
C. C. それは空気入りタイヤを使用した最初の車両であった。
D. D. それは、乗り手が地面に沿って足を押し進めることを可能にした。
✅ 正确答案
B. It was more comfortable and easier to control due to its chain drive and equal wheels.