Elon Musk: Richest Person in the World

Lesson made on February 3, 2025

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Reading Lesson:

Elon Musk was born in South Africa in 1971. As a child, he was interested in computers and taught himself how to code. He moved to the United States to study and later started several companies.

Musk’s family was wealthy. His father owned part of an emerald mine in Zambia, where Black workers, including enslaved laborers, worked in harsh conditions. This family wealth gave Musk advantages that helped him start his businesses.

One of his first successful companies was PayPal, which helped people send money online. After selling PayPal, Musk became an early investor in Tesla, a company that makes electric cars. Later he started SpaceX, a company that builds rockets.

Musk is known for his big ideas, but he has also faced many problems. Some of his companies have struggled, and he has made promises that he couldn’t keep. He often makes bold statements on social media, which has led to criticism. Some people admire his ambition, while others think he is reckless and hard to work with.

In 2022, Musk bought Twitter and changed its name to X. He allowed banned accounts back on the platform. Critics say he has spread misinformation and made the site worse by allowing more hateful content.

Musk has also been involved in political controversies. He has shared conspiracy theories, supported right-wing politicians, and made offensive comments online. Some people see him as a free speech supporter, while others think he is spreading harmful ideas.

Some see him as a genius, while others believe he cares more about fame and power than helping people. He is currently the richest person in the world.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Which of these statements is false?

a) Elon Musk was born in Africa.
b) Musk started only one company during his career.
c) He bought Twitter in 2022.
d) His family background helped him launch his businesses.

2. Which of these was a factor in Musk’s success?

a) His family was very wealthy.
b) He learned to code at a young age.
c) PayPal was a very successful company.
d) All of the above are true.

3. What does the article say about Musk’s bold social media statements?

a) They always improve his companies’ reputation.
b) They cause both admiration and criticism.
c) They have no influence on public opinion.
d) They make everyone laugh.

4. How did Musk’s family wealth help him?

a) It had no impact on his ability to start companies.
b) It forced him to take fewer risks in business.
c) It solved all his problems without any challenges.
d) It gave him advantages that helped him launch his businesses.

5. What lesson can we learn from Musk’s experience with promises he could not keep?

a) Making bold promises always guarantees success.
b) Keeping commitments is important to maintain trust.
c) Bold statements have no consequences.
d) Promising less is not an option in business.

6. How have Musk’s actions contributed to discussions about free speech?

a) They have led to conversations about balancing free speech with the spread of harmful ideas.
b) They prove that free speech is always beneficial.
c) They show that public figures should never use social media.
d) They have eliminated controversy from public debate.

7. What can we conclude about the public’s view of Musk?

a) Everyone admires him without any criticism.
b) He is seen as a genius by all who follow him.
c) Opinions are mixed; some admire his ambition while others find him reckless.
d) No one cares about his actions in business or politics.

8. The conditions were harsh for the workers in the emerald mine. What does “harsh” mean?

a) quiet and dark
b) calm and pleasant
c) rough and difficult
d) easy and rewarding

9. Critics say Musk has spread misinformation. What does “misinformation” mean?

a) Very detailed and hard-to-understand information.
b) Accurate and true information.
c) Secret information that is not shared.
d) False or wrong information.

10. What challenge might a leader face when managing several innovative companies like Musk?

a) Having too much free time.
b) Handling multiple responsibilities can lead to conflicts and difficulties.
c) Making decisions becomes very simple.
d) Avoiding all mistakes is guaranteed.

Speaking and Writing Activities:

– Discuss these questions with a partner or a small group.

– Choose one topic and write a response to it. Show your writing to a classmate or teacher.

1. Do you think success depends more on talent, hard work, or luck? Why?

2. If you had Elon Musk’s money, what would you do with it?

3. If you could invent a new technology for the future, what would it be? How would it change the world?

More Reading Practice:

What is PayPal?

PayPal started in 1998 as a company called Confinity. At first, Confinity focused on security software, but soon it shifted to developing a system for transferring money through the internet. Around the same time, another company called X.com, started by Elon Musk, was working on online banking. In 2000, Confinity and X.com merged, and the new company became PayPal.

PayPal quickly grew because it allowed people to send money safely and easily through email. Many users on eBay, an online marketplace, started using PayPal to buy and sell items. This helped the company become more popular. In 2002, PayPal became a publicly traded company, meaning its shares could be bought and sold on the stock market. Later that year, eBay bought PayPal for about 1.5 billion US dollars.

Over time, PayPal expanded its services and improved security to protect users from fraud. It became available in many countries and started working with different currencies. In 2015, PayPal became an independent company again after separating from eBay. It continued to grow by buying other financial technology companies and introducing new features, such as mobile payments. Elon Musk bought the domain X.com back from PayPal in 2017, and later used it for Twitter.

What is Tesla?

Tesla, Inc. is a company that makes electric cars, solar panels, and energy storage products. It was founded in 2003 by a group of engineers who wanted to prove that electric vehicles could be just as good as, or even better than, gasoline-powered cars. One of the most well-known people associated with Tesla is Elon Musk, who became involved early on and helped the company grow.

Tesla’s first car, the Roadster, was introduced in 2008. It was a sports car that could travel over 350 kilometers on a single charge, which was much farther than other electric cars at the time. After that, Tesla worked on making electric cars more affordable and practical. In 2012, the company released the Model S, a luxury sedan that had a long driving range and advanced technology. It was praised for its speed, safety, and efficiency.

Over the years, Tesla expanded its lineup to include the Model X, an SUV with unique doors that opened upward, and the Model 3, a smaller and more affordable car that became very popular. Later, the company introduced the Model Y, another SUV, and the Cybertruck, a futuristic-looking pickup truck. Tesla also created the Semi, a large electric truck for transporting goods.

Besides making cars, Tesla focuses on clean energy. The company produces solar panels and battery systems that store electricity for homes and businesses. One of its biggest energy projects is the Megapack, a large battery system that helps power grids store energy more efficiently. Tesla also builds charging stations around the world to make it easier for people to travel long distances with electric cars.

Tesla has factories in different countries, including the United States, China, and Germany. These factories, called Gigafactories, are designed to produce cars and batteries in large numbers. The company continues to work on new technologies, such as self-driving software and improved battery performance, to make electric cars even better.

What is SpaceX?

SpaceX is a company that builds rockets and spacecraft. It was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, a businessman who wanted to make space travel more affordable. His goal was to create reusable rockets so that space missions would cost less money. Before SpaceX, most rockets could only be used once, which made spaceflight very expensive.

In 2008, SpaceX became the first private company to send a liquid-fueled rocket, called Falcon 1, into Earth’s orbit. This was an important step in proving that a private company could successfully launch spacecraft. Two years later, SpaceX launched a new rocket, Falcon 9, which was designed to be reusable.

One of the company’s biggest achievements came in 2020 when it launched astronauts to the International Space Station using its Crew Dragon spacecraft. This was the first time in history that a private company sent people into space. Since then, SpaceX has continued to send astronauts on missions and has been working on a new spacecraft called Starship, which is designed for long-distance space travel, including future missions to Mars.

SpaceX has changed spaceflight by making rockets reusable and lowering the cost of space travel. The company continues to work on new technology to make it possible for humans to explore farther into space.

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