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How old are bicycles?
Textbook: p. 39
GoalThe history of bicycles: “How old are …?” and past facts.
New words
wheel · g‘ildirakpedal · pedalchain · zanjirinvent · ixtiro qilmoq
Explanation
To ask about age: “How old are bicycles?” — “They are about 200 years old.” The first bicycle was built in 1817 by the German Karl von Drais; it had no pedals, and the rider pushed the ground with his feet. In the 1860s bicycles with pedals on the front wheel appeared. In the 1870s bicycles with a very big front wheel were popular. In the 1880s bicycles with a chain and two wheels of the same size were made, much like modern bicycles. Past tense: “The first bicycle didn’t have pedals.” Invent – invented. Use in with years: in 1817.
Worked examples
“The bicycle story”. Bicycles are about 200 years old. In 1817 a German man, Karl von Drais, made the first bicycle. It had two wheels, but it didn’t have pedals. People pushed it with their feet. Later, in the 1860s, people added pedals. In the 1880s bicycles got a chain, and they looked like modern bikes.
— How old are cars? — They are more than 130 years old. — How old is your bike? — It is two years old.
Class activity
“Timeline”: groups draw a bicycle timeline (1817, 1860s, 1880s) and write a sentence for each.
Practice
1
Make a question: bicycles / how old
How old are bicycles?
2
Did the first bicycle have pedals?
No, it didn’t.
3
Make a sentence: Karl von Drais / make / first bicycle / 1817
Karl von Drais made the first bicycle in 1817.
4
Why “How old are bicycles?” and not “is”?
Bicycles is plural, so we use are.