Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, you might think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, and you'd be right. However, the first two-wheeled vehicle, called a 'draisine', appeared in 1817, invented by a German baron. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France. But these early bicycles had wooden frames and iron wheels, making rides extremely bumpy. It wasn't until the 1880s that the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and two equal-sized wheels became popular, which is closer to what we ride today.
❓ 讲座中提到的最早的两轮车的主要缺点是什么？
A. 它们太重了，无法骑行。
B. 它们没有踏板，需要用脚蹬地推动。
C. 他们的木制框架很容易断裂。
D. 它们仅被德国男爵们使用。
✅ 正确答案
They had no pedals and required pushing with feet.