Module 2 EMSAT Reading - Pinterest

Ben Silbermann was an ordinary boy. He was born in 1982 in Iowa in the USA and he loved collecting things. In 2006, when he graduated from university, he moved to the state of California and got a job at Google. Then, in 2008, Silbermann left his job and he started his own business with two friends: Paul Sciarra and Evan Sharp. In November 2009, they got an apartment together in Palo Alto, California and started work on Pinterest. And it seemed that a lot of people liked their idea. When Pinterest started in March 2010, it grew quickly and had 10 million users after the first year.

When did Ben Silbermann create his own company?

• 2006

• 2008

• 2009

• 2019

Ben Silbermann was an ordinary boy. He was born in 1982 in Iowa in the USA and he loved collecting things: stamps, leaves and especially insects. At the time, he felt like any other child … but as a young man in his 20s, his love of collecting became big business.

What does the word ‘ordinary’ mean?

• normal

• crazy

• funny

• boring

He went to Yale University and studied chemistry and political science. In 2006, when he graduated from university, he moved to the state of California and got a job at Google. Silbermann met a lot of people there who were very interested in technology, and he decided two things: he wanted to start a business and he wanted to do something he loved. He worked at Google for two years. Then, in 2008, Silbermann left his job and he started his own business with two friends: Paul Sciarra and Evan Sharp. In November 2009, they got an apartment together in Palo Alto, California and started work on Pinterest.

Which answer is false?

• He wanted to do something he enjoyed for a career.

• He moved to California after he got a job at Google.

• He learned chemistry and political science at university.

• He made a decision to start a business.

Silbermann and Sharp realised they both loved collecting, and they made a ‘virtual pinboard’ – pages online where you ‘pin’ pictures of things you like and things you ‘collect’. Their idea was to connect everyone in the world through the things they find interesting.

Why did they want to make a ‘virtual pinboard’?

• They wanted people to sell the things they collect.

• They wanted people who liked the same things to connect with each other.

• They wanted people to put pins in each other.

• They wanted people to post things on the internet.

And it seemed that a lot of people liked their idea. When Pinterest started in March 2010, it grew quickly and had 10 million users after the first year. This was an amazing number compared with Twitter and Facebook: Twitter took two years to reach 10 million users and Facebook took over five years. Just a year after starting, Pinterest was worth $200 million and had over 421 million page views. Silbermann’s ordinary interest as a boy certainly became an extraordinary business.

Which answer is correct?

• Not many people liked his idea.

• Pinterest didn’t grow as quickly as Facebook.

• Pinterest wasn’t worth much money.

• Pinterest got a lot of views very quickly.

And it seemed that a lot of people liked their idea. When Pinterest started in March 2010, it grew quickly and had 10 million users after the first year. This was an amazing number compared with Twitter and Facebook: Twitter took two years to reach 10 million users and Facebook took over five years. Just a year after starting, Pinterest was worth $200 million and had over 421 million page views. Silbermann’s ordinary interest as a boy certainly became an extraordinary business.

What does the word ‘this’ refer to?

• 2010

• the number of users

• Pinterest

• the first year

Ben Silbermann was an ordinary boy. He was born in 1982 in Iowa in the USA and he loved collecting things: stamps, leaves and especially insects. At the time, he felt like any other child … but (7) ______ a young man in his 20s, his love of collecting became big business.

• of

• for

• in

• from

• as

Ben Silbermann was an ordinary boy. He was born in 1982 in Iowa in the USA and he loved collecting things: stamps, leaves and especially insects. At the time, he felt like any other child … but as a young man in his 20s, his love (8) ______ collecting became big business.

• of

• for

• in

• from

• as

He went to Yale University and studied chemistry and political science. In 2006, when he graduated (9) _______ university, he moved to the state of California and got a job at Google. Silbermann met a lot of people there who were very interested in technology, and he decided two things: he wanted to start a business and he wanted to do something he loved.

• of

• for

• in

• from

• as

He worked at Google (10) ______ two years. Then, in 2008, Silbermann left his job and he started his own business with two friends: Paul Sciarra and Evan Sharp. In November 2009, they got an apartment together in Palo Alto, California and started work on Pinterest.

• of

• for

• in

• from

• as