Chinaisalandofbicycles.Atleastitwasbackin1992whenItravelledthecountry.Backtheneveryoneseemedtoberidingabicycle.Millionsofthemallblack.Carswererare.YetsincemyarrivalinBeijinglastyearI’vefoundtheoppositeistrue.Thereweremillionsofcars.Howeverpeoplestillusetheirbicyclestogetaround.Formanyit’stheeasiestandcheappiestwaytotraveltoday.Bicyclesalsocomeindifferentcolours---silvergreenredblueyellowwhateveryouwant.
It’sfunwatchingpeoplebiking.Theyrushquicklythroughcrossroadsmoveskillfullythroughtrafficandrideevenonsidewalks(人行道).Bicyclesallowpeoplethefreedomtomoveaboutthatcarsjustcan’tprovide.
EagertobepartofthisaspectofChinesecultureIdecidedtobuyabicycle.Greatweatheraccompaniedmygreatbuy.Iimmediatelyjumpeduponmybicycleseatandstartedtoride.
Myfirstridehomewasorderly(守秩序的).TobesafeIstayedwitha“pack”ofbikerswhilecarsonthestreetscamerunningswiftlyoutofnowhereattimes.Ididn’twanttogethit.SoItooktheridecarefully.
Crossingthestreetswasthebiggestproblem.ItwasalotlikecrossingamajorhighwaybackintheUnitedStates.Thestreetsherewerewidesocrossingtooktimeskillandalittlebitofluck.
Ifinallymadeithome.Thefeelingonthebicyclewasamazing.Theairhittingmyfaceandgoingthroughmyairwaswonderful.IwassittingontopoftheworldasIpassedbyplacesandpeople.Bikingmademefeelalive.
小题1:AccordingtothesuthourwhyarebicyclesstillpopularinChinatoday?