雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to look at the history of the bicycle. Now, many people think the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, a simple two-wheeled vehicle was designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15th century. However, it wasn't until 1817 that a German inventor, Karl von Drais, created a steerable bicycle called the 'Draisine'. This early model 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 'velocipede'. It wasn't until the 1880s that the chain drive was introduced, making bicycles much safer and more efficient.