Studythesewords.a.softwareb.applicationc.instructiond.programReadthearticle.Acomputercannotdoanythingbyitself.Itneedsaprogramtowork.Aprogramisalistofinstructionsthattellsacomputerexactlyhowtowork.Thegeneralnameforcomputerprogramsissoftware.Therearedifferentbrandsofsoftware.Microsoftperhapsisthemostpopularbrand.Withfastdevelopmentofmobiletechnology,smartphonesorpadsbecomepopular.Peoplecandownloadtheapplicationstheyliketorunontheirdevices.Forexample,usersofApplecandownloadmanyapplicationsfromAppStoreonline.SteveJobswastheformerCEOofApple，whichheco-foundedin1976.AppleisleadingtheconsumertechnologyworldwithitsrevolutionaryiPhones,AppStore，itsfamilyofiPodmediaplayers,iTunesmediastore，itsiMaccomputers,andiPads.TheBirthofMicrosoft

Microsofttodayisthelargestcomputersoftwarecompanyintheworld.Eachyear,itmakesbillionsofdollars.Itsleader,BillGates,isoneoftherichestpeopleintheworld.ButdoyouknowthatthecompanywasstartedbyBillGatesandhisfriendPaulAllenwhentheywerejustteenagers?

BillGateswasbornonOctober8th,1955.Evenwhenhewasachild,hewasveryseriousaboutwinning.Billwasnotonlycompetitive,butalsoverysmart.HegotstraightA’sinschool.“IcandoanythingIputmymindto.”hesaid.OnethingBilllovedputtinghismindtowascomputers.

Afterhighschool,BillGateswenttoHarvardUniversity.Hedidn’tstaythereverylong,though.In1974,helearnedaboutacomputercalledtheAltaircomputer.TheAltaircomputercouldbebuiltinasmallboxforonly$399.Itwassmallenoughforordinarypeopletouseintheirhomesoroffices.

BillGatesthoughtthiswasthemostexcitingnewshe’deverheard.Thiscouldbethebeginningofthecomputerrevolution.Sooneveryonecouldownapersonalcomputertohelpthemworkandhavefun.

BillGatesknewthatacomputerallbyitselfwasn’tveryuseful.Acomputerneedsanoperatingsystemtotellitwhattodo.BillGatesdecidedtocreateanewoperatingsystem.HeandPaulAllenworkedhardforsixweeks.Theirhardworkpaidoff.TheAltaircompanyboughttheirprogram,andthetwoteenagerswereinbusiness!BillthenleftHarvard.HeandPaulsetuptheirownsoftwarecompany—Microsoftwasborn!Fillintheblanksaccordingtothearticle.BillGatesisoneofthe（1）

peopleintheworld.HeandPaulAllenwerejust（2）

whentheystartedthecompany.WhenBillwasachild,hewasveryseriousaboutwinning.Hewasnotonly（3）

,butalsoverysmart.In1974,asmallcomputercalledtheAltaircomputerwasinvented,andBillthoughtitwasthe（4）

newshehadeverheard.Thiscouldbethebeginningofthecomputerrevolution.Billdecidedtocreateanew（5）

totellthecomputerwhattodo.HeandPaulworkedhardforsixweeks,andtheirwork（6）

.TheyleftHarvardafterwards,and（7）

theirownsoftwarecompany—Microsoft.richestteenagerscompetitivemostexcitingoperatingsystempaidoffsetupAnswerthefollowingquestions.1.WhoisBillGates?

2.WhoisPaulAllen?

3.WhatkindofcompanyisMicrosoft?

4.HowoldwasBillGatesthisyear?

5.WhatwasBillGateslikewhenhewasaschoolboy?

6.WhydidBillGatesleaveHarvard?

7.DoyouthinkBillGateswouldbemoresuccessfulifhestartedhisbusinessafterfinishingcollegeeducation?

8.WhatcanwelearnfromBillGates?BillGatesistheheadofthesoftwarecompanyMicrosoftandisoneoftherichestpeopleintheworld.PaulAllenisBillGates’sfriendandbusinesspartner.TheyfoundedMicrosofttogether.Acomputersoftwarecompany.Hewas60yearsoldin2015.Billwasatopstudentinschool,notonlycompetitive,butalsoverysmart.Hewantedtostarthisownbusiness.Yes,Ithinkso./No,I’mnotsure.Hisdesireforsuccess.1.Whatistheirproblem?2.Howaretheygoingtosolveit?Theydon’thaveanyoperatingsystemready.TheyaregoingtobuyaDOSandfixitsoitcanbeusedforIBM’sPC.Listentotheconversation.ThenanswerthequestionsaccordingtothedialogbetweenBillandPaul.SteveJobsSteveJobsdiedattheageof56,afteraverylongbattlewithcancer.Hisdeathwasmournedbymillionsofpeopleworldwide.Hewasabusinessman,buthewasthe“MichaelJackson”ofbusinessmen.HisAppleproductswerelikesongsthattouchedpeople’sheartsandchangedtheirlives.Jobswasnotaninventor,buthewasaninnovatorandamanwithagreatvision.Hetooktechnologythatothershadinvented,anddesignedproductswhichhadgreatstyleandwereeasyforpeopletouse.AndhemadeAppleproductsseemcool!TheiMac,iPod,iPhone，andiPadwerealwaysthecoolestproductsonthemarket.SteveJobswasalsoagoodexampleof“TheAmericanDream”.Hecamefromhumblebeginnings.HehadbeenadoptedasachildbyaworkingclassfamilyinCalifornia.Hedidn’thaveagoodeducation.Instead,hedroppedoutofcollegeandstartedAppleinhisgarage.Buthissuccesswassoonfollowedbysetbacks.JobswasfiredasCEOofthecompanyin1985,butthatdidnotstophim.Hebuiltanewcomputercompany,andalsostartedPixar(皮克斯動畫工作室)whichproducedthehitmoviesToyStoryandFindingNemo.Later,whenApplewasstruggling,Jobswasbroughtbacktosavethecompany—andhedidit!Jobsisagreatrolemodelforyoungpeople.Hehadadreamandhetookchances(evenfoolishchances,headmitted)toachievethatdream.Hesufferedsetbacksinbusinessandinhishealth,butherefusedtoletthosesetbacksdampenhisdesireofachievinghisdream.Intheend,heleftsomeinspirationalwordsforyounginnovators,“Stayhungry,stayfoolish!”DecideifthefollowingstatementsareTrueorFalseaccordingtothereadingpassage.()1.SteveJobsdiedattheageof56,ofcancer()2.Jobswasaninnovatorandamanwithagreatvision.()3.Appleproductswerealwaysthecoolestproductsonthemarket.()4.HehadbeenadoptedasachildbyaworkingclassfamilyinChicago.()5.Later,whenApplewasstruggling,Jobswentbacktosavethecompany—buthefailed.()6.Headvisedyounginnovatorstogofornewideas.TTTTFFI.Whenitcomestothenewinformationtechnology,weoftenthinkaboutthesuccessfulleadingpeople,forexample,BillGates,StevenJobs,MaYun,andMaHuateng.Whatdoyouthinkisthemostimportantfortheirsuccess?II.Dotheyhavesomethingincommon?1.Yes,BillandStevearebothAmerican/fondofcomputeranddigitaltechnology.2.Yes,.3.Yes,.4.No,.5.No,