The word 'basis' in the passage is closest in meaning to

The first machines that looked like bicycles appeared in Europe in the early nineteenth century. They had no pedals, and riders pushed themselves along with their feet. In the 1860s, pedals were added to the front wheel, and the bicycle became faster but also more dangerous, especially when the front wheel was made very large. The 'safety bicycle', which appeared in the 1880s, had two wheels of equal size and a chain that drove the rear wheel, and its design is still the basis of modern bicycles. Cycling soon became popular with men and women alike, and many historians believe that it helped to give women greater freedom to travel independently.

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. foundation

  1. Step 1: The design is still the foundation of modern bicycles.
Answer
foundation.
Why not the others: opposite, decoration and price do not fit.

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