雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume that the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, the first two-wheeled vehicle appeared much earlier, around 1817, in Germany. It was called the 'draisine' after its inventor, Baron Karl von Drais. However, it had no pedals; riders pushed their feet against the ground to move forward. It wasn't until the 1860s, in France, that pedals were added to the front wheel, creating what we now recognize as a bicycle. Interestingly, the invention of the chain drive in the 1880s made bicycles safer and more efficient, leading to their popularity as a means of transport.