In New York, Ma Yun witnessed the Alibaba Group opening on the New York stock exchange with the largest initial public offering (IPO, 新股发行) in American history. "Alibaba, the world's largest Internet commerce company makes China equal to the US in the rapidly increasing global competition for technological innovation and economic transformation" commented the South China Morning Post.
It has also made Ma China's richest man with a fortune of around $25 billion (153 billion yuan), reported Reuters.
It's reported that Ma' s rags-to-riches journey is just as spectacular as his Internet Empire. Ma failed the national college entrance exams twice before he was finally in Hangzhou Normal University on his third attempt and failed in finding a suitable job several times. Also, Mr. Ma is a big believer in perseverance, which was proved in his English study experience.
However, it was his vision and goals that launched his career.
During a short trip to the US as an interpreter in 1995, Ma first experienced the Internet. He believed in the Internet's business potential when few other Chinese people did. He started Alibaba in his Hangzhou apartment, with 17 friends and $60,000 of funds. At the time, when e-commerce was unheard of in China, "I called myself a blind man riding on the back of blind tigers," he once said, according to The Guardian. His unusual ideas earned him the nickname "Crazy Jack Ma".
Indeed, Ma is different. Although he is very thin and about 160cm tall, "Ma is yet animated and forceful," said The Guardian. "He is funny, creative, and a compelling speaker."
Ma told Time magazine that he was "old for the Internet".He started to slowdown and looked around. According to The Wall Street Journal, Ma "plans to open a tai chi club with the actor Jet Li, build an entrepreneur university in Hangzhou and continue to work on several environmental projects."
What made him into e-commerce industry?（ ）
细节题。根据第四段 “However, it was his vision and goals that launched his career. ”可知，马云的远见和抱负使他进入了电子商务行业。故选 B 。
What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 5 mean?（ ）
语义题。根据画线句的前一句 “At the time ， when e-commerce was unheard of in China” 可知。当时电子商务在中国还闻所未闻，马云也知之甚少，故选 C 。
What's the personality of Ma Yun according to the passage?（ ）
推断题。根据马云经营电子商务的艰辛和成功以及《卫报》记者对他的评价 “Ma is yet animated and forceful”“He is funny ， creative ， and a compelling speaker” 可知，马云是一个有决心、有创造力的人，故选 B 。