雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but actually, the first two-wheeled vehicle, called the 'draisine', appeared in 1817 in Germany. It was made of wood and had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel in France, creating the 'velocipede'. However, it was extremely uncomfortable because of its rigid frame and iron wheels. It wasn't until the 1880s that the 'safety bicycle' with a chain drive and equal-sized wheels became popular, making cycling much safer and more practical for ordinary people.