雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people believe the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, the first two-wheeled vehicle, called the draisine, appeared in 1817 in Germany. It had no pedals, and riders pushed their feet against the ground to move. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France. However, it wasn't until the 1880s that the chain drive system, similar to what we use today, was developed in England. This made cycling much safer and more efficient. So, remember: the key innovation that shaped the modern bicycle was the chain drive.