雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

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, but its predecessor, the draisine, appeared in 1817. However, it wasn't until the 1880s that the safety bicycle, with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive, became popular. This design made cycling much safer and more accessible to the general public. Interestingly, the pneumatic tire, invented in 1888 by John Boyd Dunlop, was initially developed for bicycles, not cars. This innovation greatly improved comfort and speed. By the early 20th century, bicycles had become a major mode of transport in many cities.