In today's lecture, we'll discuss the history of the bicycle. The first verifiable bicycle, called the draisine, was invented by Karl von Drais in 1817. It had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground. Later, in the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the velocipede. However, this design was uncomfortable due to its rigid frame and iron wheels. The major breakthrough came in 1885 when John Kemp Starley introduced the 'Rover' safety bicycle, which featured a chain drive to the rear wheel and equal-sized wheels. This design greatly improved stability and safety, making cycling accessible to the general public.
❓ Каким было главное преимущество безопасного велосипеда Rover, представленного в 1885 году?
A. Это был первый велосипед с педалями.
B. У него было более удобное сиденье.
C. Она была безопаснее и стабильнее благодаря цепному приводу и колёсам одинакового размера.
D. Она была легче и дешевле предыдущих моделей.
✅ 正确答案
It was safer and more stable due to its chain drive and equal-sized wheels.