Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, you might think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but its earliest form appeared in 1817, when a German inventor created a wooden frame with two wheels and a handlebar, but no pedals. Riders pushed their feet against the ground to move. This was called a 'hobby horse.' Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, leading to the 'velocipede.' However, it wasn't until the 1880s that the chain-driven 'safety bicycle' with two equal-sized wheels became popular, making cycling much safer and more comfortable.
❓ 最も初期の自転車の主な特徴は何でしたか？
A. A. それはチェーン駆動の機構を備えていた。
B. B. それはペダルがなく、乗り手は足で地面を蹴って進んだ。
C. C. 安全性のため、大きさの異なる二つの車輪を備えていた。
D. D. それは完全に金属で作られていた。
✅ 正确答案
B. It had no pedals and riders pushed with their feet.