BILL GATES

         William Henry Gates, also known as «Bill», has established himself as the richest man in the world. He is the youngest self made billionaire, and perhaps the best businessman in the world. Bill Gates is important because he did not only change the computer technology in America, but also created the big­gest, strongest, richest and the most powerful company in the world.

        Bill was born on October 28, 1955, his parents, Mary and Bill, had one other daughter Kristi. Gates began his career in PC software, programming computers at age 13.

        As to his education, he attended a well-known private school in Seattle, Washington called Lakeside. At Lakeside, he met his future business partner Paul Allen. Bill Gates en­tered Harvard in 1973. He created the programming language BASIC. Gates attended Harvard University and after a few years Gates and his business collaborator, Paul Allen, dropped out of Harvard to begin the Microsoft Corporation in 1975.

        Throughout his life, Gates had many experiences with busi­ness. Allen and Gates started a small company called Traf-O-Data. They sold a small computer outfitted with their program that could count traffic for the city. Gates also worked at a programming company called ‘TRW’. After all his minor jobs, Gates and Allen founded Microsoft in 1975, the largest com­puter based company in the world. Gates is the Chief Execu­tive officer and Paul Allen is VP. They are both very wealthy due to this business.

         Gates believes that if you are intelligent and know how to apply your intelligence you can accomplish anything. Bill works very hard to carry out his vision. His belief in high intelligence and hard work is what put him where he is today, as well as be­ing in the right place at the right time. He doesn’t believe in luck or any sort of god, just hard work and competitiveness.

        «Trey» as he is called at home is a remarkable man who has been able to go into the world spotlight as a genius at what he does. His welfare until today is worth about 92,000,000,000 dollars.

QUESTIONS:

1. Why is Bill Gates important?
2. How did Gates begin his career?
3. Where did Bill Gates study?
4. When was the Microsoft Corporation begun?
5. What are Gates’ beliefs?
6. How much is Gates’ welfare worth?

VOCABULARY:

software — программное обеспечение

to create — создавать

collaborator — сотрудник

to found — основать

due to — благодаря чему-либо .

to apply — применять, прилагать

to accomplish — достигать

to carry out — выполнять, осуществлять

belief — убеждение

competitiveness — конкурентоспособность

remarkable — замечательный

spotlight — центр внимания

welfare — благосостояние

to be worth — стоить