The First Bicycle
The history of the bicycle goes back （追溯）more than 200 years. In 1791，Count de Sivrac (1) delighted （“delight”：及物动词，是某人愉悦）onlookers in a park in Paris as he showed off （炫耀；展示）his two-wheeled invention （双轮车）, a machine called the celeriferé. It was basically an (2) enlarged （扩大版的儿童玩具）version of a children’s toy which had been in (3) use （“in use”在使用）for many years. Sivrac's "celeriferé had a wooden frame，made in the (4) shape （形状类似一匹马；有一个马形状的木框） of a horse ，which was mounted （“fixed”分别安装有一个轮子） on a wheel at either end （两端）. To ride it ，you sat on a small seat ，just like a modem bicycle ，and pushed (5) hard （双脚用力蹬地）against the (6) ground with your legs—there were no pedals（脚踏板）. It was impossible to steer （“steer”：操纵方向；掌握方向）a celeriferé and it had no brakes，but despite （尽管）these problems the invention very much (7) appealed（吸引）to the fashionable （赶时髦的青年男女） young men of Paris. Soon they were (8) holding（举办比赛）races up and down the streets. attracted
Minor (9) injuries （受伤；轻伤是很普遍的）were common as （当…的时候）riders attempted a final burst of ( 10 ) speed （“speed”：速度；当骑手尝试最后冲刺的时候）. Controlling the machine was difficult ，as the only way to change (11) direction （改变防线）was to pull up the front （拉起车的前部） of the "celeriferé" and (12) turn it round （调转车头）while the front wheel was (13) spinning in the air （当前轮还在空中空中打转时就要调转车头）. "Celeriferés" were not popular for long ，however ，as the (14) combination （综合各方面的问题）of no springs（没有弹簧） ，no steering（没有方向舵） and rough roads （道路不平整）made riding them very uncomfortable. Even so （即便如此），the wooden （木质的“celeriferé”）celeriferé was the (15) origin （起源，始祖）of the modem bicycle.
词汇：
count / kaunt / n. 伯爵 brake / breik / n. 闸，刹车
onlooker n. 观众 burst / bə:st / v. 爆发，突发，爆炸
pedal / 'pedl / n. 踏板，脚蹬子 spring / spriŋ / n. ' 弹簧
steer / stiə / v. 驾驶，操纵，控制 rough adj， 粗糙的，不平整的
注释:
1. ... which was mounted on a wheel at either end: ……两端都装上了轮子
2 ...as riders attempted a final burst of speed:……当骑手尝试最后冲刺的时候
2017年职称英语综合类B级完型填空练习7.doc
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