雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Today's lecture is about the history of the bicycle. Now, many people assume that the bicycle was invented in the 19th century, but in fact, a primitive version appeared in the late 18th century in France. This early machine, called the 'celerifere', had no pedals and was pushed along by the feet. However, it was not until the 1860s that pedals were added to the front wheel, creating the 'velocipede'. Interestingly, the invention of the chain drive in the 1880s allowed the rear wheel to be powered, which made bicycles much safer and more efficient. This design, known as the 'safety bicycle', became the basis for modern bicycles.