reading comprehension........................................................................
Today, bicycles are elegantly simple machines that
are common around the world.Many people ride
bicycles for recreation, whereas others use them as
a means of transportation. The first bicycle, called
a draisienne, was invented in Germany in 1818 by
Baron Karl de Drais de Sauerbrun. Because it was
made of wood, the draisienne wasn’t very durable
nor did it have pedals. Riders moved it by pushing
their feet against the ground................................
In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish
blacksmith, invented a much better bicycle.
Macmillan’s machine had tires with iron rims to
keep them from getting worn down.He also used
foot-operated cranks, similar to pedals, so his
bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn’t
look much like the modern bicycle, though,
because its back wheel was substantially larger
than its front wheel. Although Macmillan’s bicycles
could be ridden easily, they were never produced
in large numbers...........................................
In 1861, Frenchman Pierre Michaux and
his brother Ernest invented a bicycle with an
improved crank mechanism. They called their
bicycle a vélocipède, but most people called it a
“bone shaker” because of the jarring effect of
the wood and iron frame. Despite the unflattering
nickname, the vélocipède was a hit.After a few
years, the Michaux family was making hundreds
of the machines annually, mostly for fun-seeking
young people....................................................
Ten years later, James Starley, an English
inventor, made several innovations that revolutionized
bicycle design.He made the front wheel
many times larger than the back wheel, put a gear
on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient,
and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes.
Although this bicycle was much lighter and less
tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely topheavy,
and ridden mostly for entertainment...............................
It wasn’t until 1874 that the first truly modern
bicycle appeared on the scene. Invented by
another Englishman, H.J. Lawson, the safety bicycle
would look familiar to today’s cyclists. The
safety bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made
it much less prone to toppling over. Lawson also
attached a chain to the pedals to drive the rear
wheel.By 1893, the safety bicycle had been further
improved with air-filled rubber tires, a diamondshaped
frame, and easy braking. With the
improvements provided by Lawson, bicycles
became extremely popular and useful for transportation.
Today, they are built, used, and enjoyed
all over the world.