雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, a primitive version appeared in France in the 1790s. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. However, the first truly popular design, called the 'penny-farthing,' emerged in the 1870s in England. This had a huge front wheel and a small rear wheel. It was fast but dangerous. Then, in 1885, John Kemp Starley introduced the 'safety bicycle' with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive. This design became the basis for modern bicycles. Interestingly, the first practical pneumatic tires were added a few years later, in 1888, by John Boyd Dunlop, which greatly improved comfort.