Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs (1955-2011), an American computer-industry executive, best-known as the co-founder and mastermind of Apple computers, was born in San-Francisco, California, USA. Jobs was given up for adoption after birth and raised by his adoptive parents in Silicon Valley. He attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon for one semester before dropping out.

Being a college dropout, Steve Jobs teamed up with Steve Wozniak in 1976 to sell personal computers assembled in Job’s garage. That was the beginning of Apple Company, which launched the personal-computer revolution by introducing its first product, the Apple II computer in 1977, and made Steve Jobs a multimillionaire before he was 30 years old. As a result of buying Pixar Animation Studios in 1986, he became a billionaire in 2006.

The Apple computers were attractive, user-friendly, graphically oriented alternative to the IBM-Microsoft personal computers. Some famous Apple Company products are the colourful iMac computer and the iPod music player. S. Jobs oversaw the development of elegantly designed music players, smartphones, and computer tablets whose enormous success also led Apple to become a significant music and software seller.

Jobs was diagnosed with cancer in 2003. Though he refused to speak publicly about his health, he survived several surgeries, and had to take a long medical leave of absence from Apple twice, in June of 2009 and in January of 2011. He remained with the company as Chairman of the Board until he died in the autumn of 2011.

Notes: to oversee – возглавлять, отвечать за…

an executive –руководитель a mastermind – вдохновитель

to adopt – усыновлять to launch – начинать

to drop out – бросать учебу surgery – операция

A. Are the sentences below true, false or the information is not stated?

1. Steve Jobs grew up in San Francisco.

2. He got higher education.

3. The Apple Company started making their first computers in the garage.

4. S. Jobs was the inventor of a personal computer.

5. He left the Apple Company several times only because of his health problems.

6. S. Jobs was an important figure in the computing industry for many years.

B. Choose the statement that gives the main idea of the text.

1. Steve Jobs was successful all his life.

2. He completely changed the computer industry.

3. The Apple competed with the IBM Microsoft Company.

6.24 Exam task. Read the dialogue, then act out a similar one about your plans for the future with a partner. Learn the dialogue by heart.

A: Do you ever think about the future?

B: Sometimes. It’s fun to picture myself in 10 years’ time.

A: Would you like to have a family?

B: Yes. As soon as I get a good job, I’ll get married.

A: And what job would you like to do?

B: I’m not sure yet. Perhaps I’ll be a naval architect like my uncle.

A: I think you’ll make an excellent engineer. You’re good at

applied sciences.

B: I hope so. What about you?

A: I’m going to be a designer.

B: Really? What sort of things are you going to design?

A: Mmm, the interiors of houses, maybe. Or maybe the interiors of

cabins. Then we can work for the same company.

B: That’s a good idea!

6.25 Complete the questions below with the words in the box:

boss enjoy people travel do studying weekends

1. Are you working or.......... or what?

So what do you..........?
Do you have to work at.........?
Do you........... it?
And do you have to........... far to work?
What are the........... you work with like?
What's your........... like?

6.26 C omplete the proverbs with the words from the box. Choose and memorize three of them.

1.	No, ….. nо gain.	a)	yourself
2.	Business before …...	b)	pain
3.	То work with the left …...	c)	hour
4.	If you want a thing well done, do it …...	d)	trees
5.	Money doesn't grow on …...	e)	hand
6.	If a ….. is worth doing it is worth doing well.	f)	pleasure
7.	An ….. in the morning is worth two in the evening.	g)	job