Bicycles have long been used for transportation in China. But recently, cycling - the activity or sport of riding a bicycle for exercise - has become popular among the country’s urban middle class. The popularity is, in part, a result of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chinese Cycling Association says at least 20 million people in the country participate in cycling. Qiyi, a Beijing cycling club, organized biking events that had about 10,000 participants over the past year. The pandemic has played a part in cycling’s growing popularity as officials moved quickly to close some businesses, including gymnasiums - or places for exercise. Cycling, which can be done individually as well as in groups, has largely been free from restrictions. Lindsay Mo could not exercise indoors after Beijing officials closed gymnasiums in May because of a coronavirus outbreak. So she started cycling and soon fell in love with the sport. “I realized a racing bicycle was quite different than a regular bike,” she said, adding, “It’s very fast and exciting...” For cyclist Yang Lan, the sport also provides an escape from the daily difficulties of life. “With the pandemic ... it seems to be the only way for us to run away from the terrible city life ...” she said.
Title: Cycling Becomes More Popular in China
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/A15.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Cycling Becomes More Popular in China' data-article-id='6194'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='6250'>Bicycles have long been used for transportation in China. </span> <span data-start-time='6250' data-end-time='19792'>But recently, cycling - the activity or sport of riding a bicycle for exercise - has become popular among the country’s urban middle class. </span> <span data-start-time='19792' data-end-time='29458'>The popularity is, in part, a result of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</span> <span data-start-time='29458' data-end-time='40563'>The Chinese Cycling Association says at least 20 million people in the country participate in cycling. </span> <span data-start-time='40563' data-end-time='53938'>Qiyi, a Beijing cycling club, organized biking events that had about 10,000 participants over the past year.</span> <span data-start-time='53938' data-end-time='69438'>The pandemic has played a part in cycling’s growing popularity as officials moved quickly to close some businesses, including gymnasiums - or places for exercise.</span> <span data-start-time='69438' data-end-time='79479'>Cycling, which can be done individually as well as in groups, has largely been free from restrictions.</span> <span data-start-time='79479' data-end-time='91625'>Lindsay Mo could not exercise indoors after Beijing officials closed gymnasiums in May because of a coronavirus outbreak. </span> <span data-start-time='91625' data-end-time='97625'>So she started cycling and soon fell in love with the sport. </span> <span data-start-time='97625' data-end-time='107938'>“I realized a racing bicycle was quite different than a regular bike,” she said, adding, “It’s very fast and exciting...”</span> <span data-start-time='107938' data-end-time='116646'>For cyclist Yang Lan, the sport also provides an escape from the daily difficulties of life. </span> <span data-start-time='116646' data-end-time='125563'>“With the pandemic ... it seems to be the only way for us to run away from the terrible city life ...” she said.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/A15.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18818 data-hint-location='6250' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/which_of_the_following_is_a_definition_of_the_word_urban.wav'>Which of the following is a definition of the word urban?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='of or relating to cities and the people who live in them'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/of_or_relating_to_cities_and_the_people_who_live_in_them.wav'><span>of or relating to cities and the people who live in them</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/in_relating_to_or_characteristic_of_the_countryside.wav'><span>in, relating to, or characteristic of the countryside</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/a_mans_headdress.wav'><span>a man's headdress</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/courteous_and_refined_in_manner.wav'><span>courteous and refined in manner</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18819 data-hint-location='29458' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/according_to_the_chinese_cycling_association_how_many_people_in_china_participate_in_cycling.wav'>According to the Chinese Cycling Association, how many people in China participate in cycling?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='20 million'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/20_million.wav'><span>20 million</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/10_million.wav'><span>10 million</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/2_million.wav'><span>2 million</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/200_million.wav'><span>200 million</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18820 data-hint-location='91625' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/so_she_started_cycling__and_soon_fell_in__blank__with_the_sport_.wav'>So she started cycling and soon fell in <span class='blank'>love</span> with the sport. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='love'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/love.wav'><span>love</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/lounge.wav'><span>lounge</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/lore.wav'><span>lore</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5623/evolve.wav'><span>evolve</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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