Questão 47 - UNEMAT 1° Dia 2011/2

 

[1] As people try to use less energy, and find alternatives

to cars, more and more people are buying, and riding,

bicycles. But where did the bicycle come from? Who

invented this "velocipede"?

[5] You may be surprised to learn that the humble

bicycle was invented several years later than the

railway locomotive! But the two-wheeler has come a

long way since the day it was invented by a Scottish

blacksmith, Kirkpatrick MacMillan, back (it is said) in

[10] 1839. MacMillan developed his bike from an older

wheeled vehicle, called a "hobby horse". This was a

wooden horse with two wheels. The rider sat on the

horse, and pushed the vehicle along with his feet. It

was not a very fast or safe vehicle, since it had no

[15] steering and no brakes.

MacMillan, nicknamed Mad Pate, modified the hobby

horse, by adding a system of articulated bars. The

rider could push the bars back and forwards with his

feet, and make the back wheel go round. He could

[20] also steer the bike, as the front wheel could be

turned.

To demonstrate his invention, he cycled 60 miles to

Glasgow! It must have been a terrible journey, on the

roads of the day! Pate's bike did not have rubber tires

[25] or springs. Mad Pate was not recognized in his time,

but other people became interested in bicycles.

Twenty-five years later, a Frenchman called Pierre

Lallemant designed and patented the first bicycle

with rotary pedals; and in 1876, H.].Lawson added

[30] another basic feature, "chain-drive".

Other features, such as rubber tires and gears, have

appeared since then; but the basic bicycle has not

changed.

Since then the bicycle has had a magnificent fortune.

[35] Today, it is probably the most common form of

transport in the world, especially in the Third World;

and non-polluting and easy to ride, it has a big future

as the town vehicle of tomorrow. Thanks Pate!

Fonte: http: / /linguapress.com/ intermediate/bike-story.htm

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