Good morning. Today we're going to look at the history of the bicycle, focusing on its early development. The first verifiable bicycle was invented in Germany in 1817 by Karl von Drais. It was made entirely of wood and had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move. This machine was called the 'running machine' or 'draisine.' However, it wasn't until the 1860s in France that pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the 'velocipede.' Interestingly, despite its popularity among young men, the velocipede was difficult to ride because of its heavy iron frame and hard rubber tires. It wasn't until the 1880s, with the invention of the chain drive and pneumatic tires, that bicycles became practical for ordinary people.
❓ 根据讲座内容， velocipede（早期自行车）的主要缺点是什么？
A. A. 它没有踏板。
B. B. 它是用木头做的。
C. C. 由于其沉重的车架，骑行起来很困难。
D. D. 它只在老年人中流行。
✅ 正确答案
C. It was difficult to ride due to its heavy frame.