雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today, I'd like to discuss the history of the bicycle. While many people credit the invention to the French in the 19th century, the first two-wheeled vehicle, called the draisine, was actually created by a German baron in 1817. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France, leading to the penny-farthing. However, it was not until the 1880s that the chain-driven 'safety bicycle' with two equal-sized wheels became popular, making cycling much safer and more accessible to the general public.