Apple
announced that their company's co-founder, Steve Jobs, died on Wednesday
evening. He was 56 years old. "Apple has lost a visionary and creative
genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," the company said
in a statement on their Web site. "His spirit will forever be the
foundation of Apple”.
Jobs had long been suffering from health complications related to pancreatic cancer. He first publicly announced his diagnosis in 2004, then took a six-month leave of absence from Apple in 2009 in order to undergo a liver transplant. More rumours began circulating about his decline in health in January of this year, when he took yet another medical leave. Jobs remained enthusiastic, however, and told the media he hoped "to be back as soon as I can." But on August 24, he resigned as chief executive of Apple. "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know," he said in his resignation letter. "Unfortunately, that day has come."
Jobs is survived by his wife of 20 years, Laurene, and four children, including one from a prior relationship.
Jobs had long been suffering from health complications related to pancreatic cancer. He first publicly announced his diagnosis in 2004, then took a six-month leave of absence from Apple in 2009 in order to undergo a liver transplant. More rumours began circulating about his decline in health in January of this year, when he took yet another medical leave. Jobs remained enthusiastic, however, and told the media he hoped "to be back as soon as I can." But on August 24, he resigned as chief executive of Apple. "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know," he said in his resignation letter. "Unfortunately, that day has come."
Jobs is survived by his wife of 20 years, Laurene, and four children, including one from a prior relationship.
Steven
Paul Jobs was born on February 24, 1955. As an infant, he was adopted by Clara
and Paul Jobs and named Steven Paul Jobs. Clara worked as an accountant and
Paul was a Coast Guard veteran and machinist. The family lived in Mountain View
within California's Silicon Valley. As a boy, Jobs and his father would work on
electronics in the family garage.
While
he was at high school, Jobs spent his free time at Hewlett-Packard. It was
there that he befriended computer club guru Steve Wozniak. Wozniak was a
brilliant computer engineer, and the two developed great respect for one
another.
After high school, Jobs enrolled at Reed College in
Portland, Oregon. Lacking direction, he dropped out of college after six months
and spent the next 18 months dropping in on creative classes. Jobs later
recounted how one course in calligraphy developed his love of typography.
In 1974, Jobs took a position as a video game designer
with Atari. He left it six months later. In 1976, when Jobs was just 21, he and
Wozniak started Apple Computers. The duo started in the Jobs family garage, and
funded their venture after Jobs had sold his Volkswagen bus and Wozniak had
sold his beloved scientific calculator.
Jobs and Wozniak are credited with revolutionizing the
computer industry by democratizing the technology and making the machines
smaller, cheaper, intuitive, and accessible to everyday consumers. Their first
model, the Apple I, earned them $774,000. Three years after the release of
their second model, the Apple II, sales increased 700 percent to $139 million
dollars.
In 1985, Jobs resigned as Apple's CEO to begin a new
hardware and software company called NeXT, Inc. The following year Jobs
purchased an animation company from George Lucas, which later became Pixar
Animation Studios. Apple eventually bought the company in 1997 for $429
million. That same year, Jobs returned to his post as Apple's CEO.
With a new management team, altered stock options, and
a self-imposed annual salary of $1 a year, Jobs put Apple back on track. His
ingenious products such as the iMac, effective branding campaigns, and stylish
designs caught the attention of consumers once again. Apple introduced such
revolutionary products as the Macbook Air, iPod, and iPhone, all of which have
dictated the evolution of modern technology. In 2008, iTunes became the second
biggest music retailer in America.
A. Answer
these questions using your own words.
1. What
caused Steve Jobs’ death?
2. How did
Jobs begin getting interested in computers?
3. How did
Jobs and Wozniak get the money to start Apple Computers?
4. Why did
their computers succeed?
5. How did
Jobs get Apple “back on track”?
B. Find synonyms in the text for the following
words:
Surprising
Gave up
Purchased
Available
C. Rewrite the following sentences from the
text without changing their meaning.
1.
He was adopted by Clara and Paul Jobs.
Clara and Paul Jobs …………………………………………………………..
2. "Apple has lost a visionary and
creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," the
company
said in a statement on their Web site.
The company said that Apple
…………………………………………………………………………………………
