4 fred smith and fedex: the vision that changed the world unit 3 section a

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Fred Smith and FedEx:The vision that changed the world


Unit 3 Section AUnit 3 Section AUnit 3 Section AUnit 3 Section A

A manager is not a person who can do the work better than his men; he is a person who can get his men to do the work better than he can. —Frederick W. Smith (American businessman, founder of FedEx)

The secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows.—Aristotle Onassis(Greek shipping magnate)

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3UNIT

Section ASection A

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3UNIT

ObjectiveObjectivess

To talk about the entrepreneurial spirit

To further understand the text

To apply the phrases and patterns

To master the essay writing skill



ContentsContents

A Fred Smith and FedEx:Fred Smith and FedEx:The vision that changed the worldThe vision that changed the world

Section

Warming-up Activities

Text Study

Language Application

Summary

Warming-up Activities

Lead-inLead-in

Pre-reading Pre-reading ActivitiesActivities

Cultural Cultural BackgroundBackground


Section

1. What is an entrepreneur?

An entrepreneur is an individual who accepts some

sort of risk — usually financial — in the pursuit of

new business. The word can apply to any person

organizing a new project or opportunity, though it is

most often used in business world.

2. What are the good qualities of an entrepreneur?

• great ability to lead;• an intense level of strong determination and willingness to work hard;• being innovative and creative;• a strong motivation towards the achievement of a task;• the ability to establish good relations with people around; ......

1. What do you know about these people and their companies?

2. What personality traits do successful entrepreneurs have in common?

Answer the following questions briefly based on the given pictures.

Picture Description

1. What do you know about these people and their companies?

Picture Description

• The man in the first picture is Steve Jobs, cofounder and former chairman and CEO of Apple Inc.;

• The man in the second picture is Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, the world’s largest social networking website;

• The men in the third picture are Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google Inc.

2. What personality traits do successful entrepreneurs have in common?

Successful entrepreneurs have many personality traits in common, such as strong leadership qualities, high motivation, great determination, willingness to fail, competitive spirit, budget-mindedness, etc.

Picture Description

The __________ definition of an entrepreneur is a person who organizes and accepts the risks of a new business. Entrepreneurs may have a new product or service to _____. Or they may have ideas for new ways to do business.

But an entrepreneurial spirit does not have to ___________ the business world.

Listen to a short passage concerning entrepreneur and fill in the missing information.

traditional

offer

be limited to


Lately we hear more and more about social entrepreneurs. What they do is _______; they might even act like business entrepreneurs. They might ______ money in projects or get others to support them.

But social entrepreneurs say they are not ______ by a desire for profits.

similar

invest

guided


Their most important goal, they say, is to create social value. They organize and support programs that ______ improve conditions in communities. Social entrepreneurs say they look for solutions to needs without leaving them to government or industry to solve. And they say they try to _______ the solution. In other words, to change the system,

aim to

spread

they try to get whole societies to change.

There are many historical examples of

people who might be called social

entrepreneurs. Susan B. Anthony, for

example, _________ women's rights in

the United States. Vinoba Bhave created

the Land Gift Movement to help India's

poor and ________.

position

landless

fought for


Questions Previewing

1. What do you know about “the Millionaire’s Unit”?

2. What do you know about the “hub and spoke” system?

TipTipss

TipTipss

Cultural BackgroundCultural Background

1. What do you know about “the Millionaire’s Unit”?

It is the nickname for the First Yale Unit, a naval air

reserve unit considered to be the first in the United

States. It was started by F. Trubee Davison, a Yale

sophomore at the time, in 1915. The unit had 29

members who were all wealthy and fascinated by

flying. Their intention was to learn to fly airplanes so

as to develop American’s military aviation.


2. What do you know about the “hub and spoke” system?

It is a system which makes transportation much

more efficient by routing all of the traffic through

one or a few central hubs. The FedEx company

took advantage of this idea in the 1970s,

revolutionizing the way airlines were run. Now the

model is extensively used in commercial aviation

for both passengers and freight.


Main Idea & Main Idea & StructureStructure

Language FocusLanguage Focus

Critical Critical ThinkingThinking

Text Study


Section

What is the typical scene at Memphis Airport every night? (Para.1)

TipsTips • Crews unload the plane’s cargo;

• The packages and envelopes are rapidly reshuffled and sorted according to address;

• Then they are loaded onto other aircraft, and flown to their destinations – many within 24 hours of leaving their senders.

Can you find the topic sentence in Paragraph 2?

TipsTipsSmith is recognized as an outstanding

entrepreneur with an agreeable and winning

personality.

Beginning a typical scene in FedEx’s

business and a basic introduction of

Fred Smith, this part brings out the main

topic and thesis of the essay: Smith is

“_______________________________

________________________________

___________________”.

Part I — Para. 1 – __22

recognized as an outstanding

Entrepreneur with an agreeable and

winning personality

As a juvenile, Smith was ______, suffering

from a disease. He was _________by bullies,

but he learned to ______ himself. He was

cured of the disease at 10 and became a

__________in high school.

invalid

picked on

defend

Para. 3

star athlete

How did Smith’s passion for flying influence his university life? (Para. 4)

TipsTips

He helped revive the Yale flying club;

Smith administrated the club’s business

end and ran a small charter operation in

New Haven.

TipsTipsHe drafted a prototype for a transportation company that would guarantee express delivery service — sending small and time-sensitive goods to major US regions overnight. The professor wasn’t impressed by the idea and told Smith it wasn’t feasible.

What did Smith do in his term paper for his economics class? How was the paper evaluated by his professor? (Para. 5)

Smith was certain he was ______________.

After graduation, he _______________during

the Vietnam War. In Vietnam, he learned that

leadership meant getting a group of people to

___________ their individual desires and

ambitions for the achievement of organizational

goals.

onto something

join the Marines

subordinate

Paras. 6 – 7

Home from Vietnam, Smith decided to

____________ starting his own business.

The early days __________________

extreme frugality and financial losses. But

they still ________________ to ensure a

good medical and dental plan for their

employees.

take a stab at

were underscored by

set the precedent

Paras. 8 – 9

FedEx pioneered ____________and the

_______________system. Smith says

success in business ____________ three

elements: an appealing product or service,

an__________________________, good

leadership.

centralization

“hub and spoke”

boils down to

Paras. 10 – 11

efficient management system

Part II — Paras. 3 – 11

It introduces Smith and his

entrepreneurship. First it focuses mainly on

Smith’s __________________, including

his school years and military days. Then, it

talks about how Smith put his ideas into

practice and analyzes the ____________of

his business success.

early life experience

key elements

Part III — Para. 12

Smith’s great concern for his employees

illustrates his P-S-P philosophy

(___________________), which is just like

an unbroken circle or chain.

People, Service, Profit

Basic introduction to Smith and his FedEx company. (Para. 1)

Smith is “recognized as an outstanding entrepreneur with an agreeable and winning personality”. (Para. 2)

IntroductionIntroduction

Section One: Smith’s early life Experiences. (Paras. 3-7)

Section Two: Smith’s business experience. (Paras. 8-11)


BodyBody

Section One: Smith’s early life Experiences. (Paras. 3-7)


Smith’s childhood and high school years. (Para. 3)

Smith’s interest in flying and his successful management of the Yale flying club while in college. (Para. 4)

Blueprint of his business – his paper for the economics class. (Para. 5)

Smith’s military experience and what he learned from it. (Paras. 6-7)

BodyBody

Section Two: Smith’s business experience. (Paras. 8-11)


Smith’s business idea put into practice practice. (Para. 8)

Difficulties in the early stage of his business as well as his great concern for his employees. (Para. 9)

Smith’s business success secrets: a“hub and spoke” system and the threekey points he concluded. (Paras. 10-11)

BodyBody


Further description of Smith’s friendly and agreeable personality and the significance of his P-S-P philosophy. (Para. 12)

ConclusionConclusion

BodyBody


BodyBody

ConclusionConclusion

Fred Smith and FedEx:The vision that changed the worldFrederick W. Smith is the founder of the FedEx Corp., the largest and most successful _______________________. He is recognized as an outstanding entrepreneur who is _________________ by both his competitors and employees. As a juvenile, he suffered from a disease and was often ________ by bullies. But his passion

overnight delivery service

held in high regard

picked on

passion for flying increased as he grew up. At Yale University, he helped to _____ the Yale flying club. In a term paper for an economics class, he ________________ for a transportation company that ensure overnight delivery of small and ____________ goods, but the professor said it wasn’t _______. After graduation, he _________________and went to Vietnam. During his military days, he learned good

revive

drafted a prototype

time-sensitivefeasible

joined the Marines

Leadership ________________________a company. Home from Vietnam, he decided to ___________ starting his own business but the early days __________________ extreme frugality and financial losses. In spite of difficulties, he still _______________ to ensure good medical plan. He said success in business ______________ three elements: appealing product or service, __________________________, and good leadership.

had measureable effects on take a stab at

were underscored by

set the precedent

boiled down to

efficient management system

Practical PhrasesPractical Phrases Specific MeaningsSpecific Meanings

1. touch down （飞机等）降落，着落2. hold sb. /sth. in high regard 敬重；尊重3. pick on sb. 找…的茬；与… 过不去

4. be onto sth. 发现新事物；制造出有趣的事物

5. take /have/make a stab at (doing) sth.

试图（做）某事；尝试（做）某事

6. boil down to sth. （能）归结为…

（飞机等）降落，着落

(touch down safely/deck/aircraft carrier)

Despite the terrible weather, the pilot of thehelicopter managed to touch down safely on thedeck of the aircraft carrier.

touch down短语逆译

短语应用尽管天气恶劣，直升机飞行员还是设法安全地着陆在航空母舰的甲板上。意群提示

敬重；尊重

(hold in high regard/ act as/mentors)

The students were excited that people they held in high regard agreed to act as their mentors.

hold sb./sth. in high regard短语逆译

短语应用学生们感到非常兴奋，因为他们所敬重的人同意当他们的指导老师。

意群提示

找…的茬；与… 过不去

(make one’s blood boil/pick on)

It makes my blood boil to think two adults decided to pick on an innocent kid.

pick on sb.短语逆译

短语应用一想到两个大人欺负一个天真的小孩，我就满腔怒火。意群提示

发现新事物；制造出有趣的事物

(archaeologists/be onto something/dig)

Archaeologists knew they were onto something big when they started digging.

be onto sth.短语逆译

短语应用考古学家在发掘之初就知道他们将有重大发现。

意群提示

试图（做）某事；尝试（做）某事

(release/ in an effort/ make a new stab at)

The police station released new details in the case, in an effort to make a new stab at finding the mysterious robber.

take/have/make a stab at (doing) sth.短语逆译

短语应用警察局公布了案情的新细节，再次试图找到这个神秘的抢劫犯。意群提示

（能）归结为…

(boil down)

Most of the crimes may boil down to the

question of money.

boil down to sth.短语逆译

短语应用大多数犯罪可以归结为金钱问题。

意群提示

Functional PatternsFunctional Patterns Functions & UsagesFunctions & Usages

1. Recognized/acknowledged as …, sb. is held in high regard by…

用于说明“某人受尊重的程度”。

2. In the interim, sb. does sth., just as sth. is happening.

用于表达“同一时间段内发生的事情”。

3. It is not uncommon for sb. to do sth.

双重否定表示肯定，表达“某人经常做某事”。

史密斯被公认为是一位和蔼可亲、性格迷人的杰出企业家。无论是他的竞争者、员工，还是他公司股票的持有人，都对他十分敬重。

原句译文

逆译练习Recognized as an outstanding entrepreneur with an agreeable and winning personality, Smith is held in high regard by his competitors as well as his employees and stockholders.

句型提炼句型提炼

Recognized/Acknowledged as …, Sb. is held in high regard by…

句型提炼

应用提示用于说明“某人受尊重的程度”。

句型应用句型应用

(philanthropist/ all walks of life)

典型例句比尔 ·盖茨被公认为是世界上最伟大的慈善家之一，社会各个阶层的人都对他十分敬重。

意群提示

Widely recognized as one of the greatest philanthropists in the world, Bill Gates is held in high regard by people from all walks of life.

在此期间，他于 1966 年从耶鲁大学毕业，那时正值美国在越战中越陷越深。

原句译文

逆译练习In the interim, he graduated from Yale in 1966, just as American’s involvement in the Vietnam War was deepening.


In the interim, sb. does sth., just as sth. is happening.

句型提炼

应用提示用于表达“同一时间段内发生的事情”。


(be diagnosed with/ famine and drought )

典型例句在此期间，他在 1976 年被诊断患有癌症，那时饥荒和干旱正威胁着他的祖国。

意群提示

In the interim, he was diagnosed with cancer in 1976, just as famine and drought were threatening his motherland.

联邦快递公司的司机自己掏腰包为货车付汽油费的情况屡见不鲜。

原句译文

逆译练习It was uncommon for FedEx drivers to pay for gasoline for their vans out of their own pockets.


It is not uncommon for sb. to do sth.

句型提炼

应用提示

双重否定表示肯定，表达“某人经常做某事”。


(distinguish from/leek)

典型例句对于城市孩子来说，无法区分韭菜和麦子，这种现象屡见不鲜。

意群提示

It is not uncommon for city children to fail to distinguish leek from wheat.

如今，史密斯这一源于大学时代的妙想已在现实中经营到了第28 个年头，并已成为包裹快递入户行业的标杆。

a. Conceived when he was in

college and now in the 28th

year of operation, Smith’s

exquisite brainchild

has

become the standard for door-

to-door package delivery.

(Para. 1, L10)

史密斯被公认为是一位和蔼可亲、性格迷人的杰出企业家。无论是他的竞争者、员工，还是他公司股票的持有人，都对他十分敬重。

b. Recognized

as an

outstanding entrepreneur with

an agreeable and winning

personality, Smith is held in

high regard by his competitors

as well as his employees and

stockholders. (Para. 2, L1)

在军队中，领导力意味着能使团队中所有成员将个人的期望与抱负置于从属地位，而以实现集体目标为重。

c. In the military, leadership

means getting a group of people

to subordinate their individual

desires and ambitions for the

achievement of organizational

goals. (Para. 7, L1)

通过明确表达并亲身践行这一理念，弗雷德里克·史密斯已成为未来成功所必需的新领导领域的开拓者。

d. In articulating this philosophy

and in personally involving

himself in tis implementation,

Frederick Smith is the forerunner

of the new sphere of leadership

that success in the future will

demand. (Para. 12, L8)

1. What challenges do you think the express delivery services in China are presently faced with?

2. Smith overcame many difficulties in his life to achieve success. How do you deal with negative experiences in your life?

3. What elements do you consider as most important for business success?

TipsTips

TipsTips

TipsTips

To me, the challenges faced by the express delivery services in China include:• highly effective transportation system not yet established;• relatively expensive transportation fees;• compensation system for loss or damage of packages not yet completed.

1. What challenges do you think the express delivery services in China are presently faced with?

2. Smith overcame many difficulties in his life to achieve success. How do you deal with negative experiences in your life?

• Psychologically accept negative experiences as a process of learning;• Treat them as chances to overcome my weaknesses;• Improve my ability to make the best of every experience, including negative ones.

• Leadership ability

• Strategic plans

• An efficient production and management system

• Well-motivated employees

• High-quality products

• Great marketing and customer services

• Innovative spirit

3. What elements do you consider as most important for business success?

Chinese students with a pioneering spirit can now defer their studies to start their own business, according to China’s Education Ministry. Please air your views on the following question: Should college graduates start their own Business?

With the competition in the job market becoming increasingly fierce for college graduates, some ambitiousstudents have made a stab at starting their own business. Over the years, there have been many successful cases of student entrepreneurship and such attempts should be encouraged by both the universities and the society.

College students who start businesses are pioneers.

Faced with unknown challenges, they are brave enough to go on a risky journey. Exposed to many uncertainties, they develop perseverance, and determination that are indispensible to all the great entrepreneurs. Even if they fail, they keep exploring for new business opportunities and work tirelessly until they succeed. As people of vision, initiative, leadership and creativity and innovation, they represent the future and the hope of a nation.

Chinese students with a pioneering spirit can now defer their studies to start their own business, according to China’s Education Ministry. Please air your views on the following question: Should college graduates start their own business?

TipsTips

Watch a video clip and discuss some questions.

Q: What advice did the speakers give us to start

business and become entrepreneurs?

Video Watching

What advice did the speakers give us to start business and become entrepreneurs?

Go and work with your heroes. Go learn from them; Starting is the most important step. Once you make

that step, what you have to do is to trust the

process; As for product building, use “mom test” strategy to

describe products to customers; Being passionate is the key.…

Language Application

Writing DevicesWriting Devices

Oral ReproductionOral Reproduction

Paragraph Paragraph TranslationTranslation


Section

Write a narrative with biographical information

A biographical narrative essay is an illustration of certain points the author has about a person. In a way, it is similar to an argumentation, with all the facts of the person’s life as evidence. In structure, like any other type of essay, a biographical narrative essay includes an introduction, body and conclusion.

When writing the introduction of a biographical narrative essay, you can start by giving some general facts about the chosen person: Who is


he? What is he famous for? Why is he special to you? In addition, you can include a significant event about the person to make your beginning more motivating. After these beginning sentences, you need to compose a thesis statement, that is, the main message or theme you want to convince the reader about the person through your essay. When writing the body, you should give details that prove your thesis statement and give


insights to your subject’s personality. Consider these questions while selecting the details:

• What are the important dates in the person’s

life?

• Is there something in the person’s childhood

that shaped his personality?

• What personality traits drive him to success or

make him special?

• Are there any critical turning points in his life?


• What are the person’s major achievements?

• What is the person’s impact on history or

society?

When you write the conclusion of the essay, you can summarize your main points and reassert your major claim about the person, but be sure not to repeat specific examples.

Let’s take Text A as an example and

figure out how it is organized as a

biographical narrative essay.

Introduction:With a description of a FedEx business scene and some general facts about Fred Smith, the introduction brings out the main topic and the thesis of the essay: Smith is “recognized as an outstanding entrepreneur with an agreeable and winning personality”. Body :It gives an account of Smith’s most important early life experiences, as well as some important details which show him as an outstanding entrepreneur. Conclusion:It restates Smith’s personality and closes with the significance of his business philosophy.

Read the following outline and the

sample essay, and try to find out

how it develops as a biographical

narrative essay.

Introduction:Zuckerberg’s wide range of interests and great enthusiasm, as well as his achievements, make him one of the most remarkable young men of our time.Body: 1. Wide range of interests:•Classics•Science•Sports

2. Enthusiasm:

•Creation of Facebook

•Devotion to work

Conclusion:

Restatement of the theme

Sample: Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American

computer programmer and Internet

entrepreneur. Born on May 14, 1984 in New

York, he is best known as one of the co-

founders of the social networking site

Facebook. His wide range of interests and

great enthusiasm, as well as his

achievements, make him one of the most

remarkable young men of our time.

Sample: Zuckerberg's interests cover a variety of

areas. During his high school years, he

showed great interest in the classics. In

Phillips Exeter Academy, he won prizes in

science (math, astronomy and physics) and

classical studies. Then in college, he was well

known for his ability to recite ancient poems

such as The Iliad. But don’t take him as a

bookworm. He was also a fencing (击剑运动 )

star and captain of the fencing team.

Sample: When an interest develops into a career, enthusiasm plays a more important role. In 2004 when he was still a student at Harvard, Zuckerberg’s expertise in computer science led his way into the creation and construction of the public community platform, Facebook. He and his teammates devoted a lot of energy and time into the project and overcame many unexpected difficulties. It is the enthusiasm of creation that really drove him and his mates.

Sample: As Zuckerberg explained in an interview in 2007: “For me and my colleagues, the most important thing is that we create an open information flow for people.”

Right now, you may be enjoying the great convenience of communicating with your friends and other people around the world on Facebook. Much of the convenience comes from Zuckerberg’s wide range of interests and his great enthusiasm toward work. Though very young, Zuckerberg has established himself as one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time.

Writing practice

Directions: Write a biographical

narrative essay of no less than 200

words on one of the following topics.

One topic has an outline you can

follow.

Directions: Write a biographical

narrative essay of no less than 200

words on one of the following topics.

One topic has an outline you can

follow.

Topic: A successful personIntroduction: • Basic introduction of the person• Main message of your essayBody:• Early life experiences (Family, education, etc.)• Start of his career of great project • Difficulties encountered along the way• Personal traits related to his successConclusion: Restatement of the most impressive traits of the person

More topics:

• A famous person in Chinese history

• A person close to you or you admire most

Suppose you are to give a speech

on life experience of Jack Ma.

Suppose you are to give a speech

on life experience of Jack Ma.

Make a speech on the following topic.

Make a speech on the following topic.

You can follow the outline given below.You can follow the outline given below.

Part I. Introduction

a. Basic information to Jack Ma and Alibaba

Group.

b. Thesis statement:

Recognized as a Chinese business magnate

and philanthropist, Jack Ma is the founder and

executive chairman of Alibaba Group.

Part II. Body (Detailed account of Jack Ma’s life)

1. His college life and his interest in studying English;

2. His early contact with the Internet and his

business;

3. Establishment of Alibaba and Taobao Marketplace.

Part III. Conclusion

Description of Jack Ma’s personality and his great

achievements.

You can follow the outline given below.You can follow the outline given below.

You may adopt the following expressions.You may adopt the following expressions.

an agreeable and winning personality; in the interim; be onto something; be underscored by extreme frugality and financial losses; take a stab at; along the way; boil down to; appealing product or service, a compelling strategy, an efficient management system; take sb./sth. for granted; …

Translate a paragraph based

on a summary of the text by

using the expressions from

the text.

Translate a paragraph based

on a summary of the text by

using the expressions from

the text.

作为一名杰出企业家，史密斯受到

对手和员工的敬重。年少时，他常

遭坏孩子欺负。但他对飞行充满激

情：大学期间，他参与耶鲁飞行俱

乐部的重建。飞行曾使他的学业遭

受影响。毕业后，他参加越南战争，

融合军旅生涯和经营管理的经验，

be held in high regard

be picked on

revive

fuse together

academic performance

认识到优秀领导力具有相当重要的作用。回国后他尝试创业。最初的日子伴随着极度的拮据。尽管如此，他仍开辟先例，保证员工的医疗福利。他对员工的关心阐释了他的“ P-S-P”理念，即：把员工放到与服务、利润同等重要的位置。

have measurable effects

show concern for

make a stab at

set the precedent

be underscored by

equally important

As an outstanding entrepreneur, Smith is held

in high regard by his competitors and his

employees. Still a juvenile, he was often

picked on by bullies. But his passion was

flying. During his university life, he helped

revive the Yale flying club. But flying made his

academic performance suffer. After

graduation, he joined the Vietnam War, where

he learned that good leadership had

measurable effects

after fusing together his military and business

experiences. Back from Vietnam, he made a

stab at starting his own business. However,

early days were underscored by extreme

frugality. Despite this, he still set the precedent

to ensure medical plan for his employees. His

great concern for his employees illustrates his

P-S-P philosophy (People, Service, Profit),

with people put at an equally important place

as service and profit.

Summary

Revision of Revision of the Useful the Useful

ExpressionsExpressions

Revision of Revision of the Functional the Functional

PatternsPatterns


Section

1. 终极梦想2. 隔夜送达服务3. 和蔼可亲、性格迷人4. 归因于5. 富裕家族6. 雷达导航

7. 海军航空史

8. 学业9. 设计一份草案10. 在此期间

culmination of the dream

overnight delivery service

agreeable and winning personality

attribute to

wealthy family clan

radar navigation

naval aviation history

academic performance

draft a prototype

in the interim

11. 对…有重要作用

12. 执着于 /着迷于 13. 中介枢纽 14. 尝试某事 15. 财务损失 16. 开辟先例 17. 为…着想

18. 公众生活的荣耀 19. 认为…是理所当然 20. 称名道姓

have measurable effects on

be/become fascinated by

intermediary hub

trappings of public life

have/take/make a stab at (doing) sth.

financial losses

set the precedent

show concern for

take sb./sth. for granted

address sb. by name

Functions & UsagesFunctions & Usages Sentence PatternsSentence Patterns

1. 用于说明“某人受尊重的程度”。

Recognized/Acknowledged as …, sb. is held in high regard by…

2. 用于表达“同一时间段内发生的事情”。

In the interim, sb. does sth., just as sth. is happening.

3. 双重否定表示肯定，表达“某人经常做某事”。

It is not uncommon for sb. to do sth.

The endThe end


Section

4 fred smith and fedex: the vision that changed the world unit 3 section a

Documents

successful entrepreneurs

social entrepreneurs

personality traits

yale unit

picture descriptionthe

strong motivation

cultural backgroundwhat

millionaires unit