🟥ESOL: The Story of Jack Ma

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Level A2

 🟥Warm-Up: Speaking Questions

Discuss with a partner or small group:

▪ Do you know anyone famous from your country?
▪ What kind of job do you want in the future?
▪ What do you think makes a person successful?
▪ Do you shop online? What websites do you use?

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 🟧Key Vocabulary: Matching

Match the words to the meanings.

Word	Meaning
1. Tourist	a. someone who starts a business
2. Practice	b. people who give money to help others
3. Businessman	c. a person who travels for fun
4. Internet	d. to do something again and again to improve
5. Charity	e. a person who works in business
6. Founder	f. a system to find information online

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 Reading Text: Jack Ma – A Businessman from China

Jack Ma is a famous businessman from China. He was born in 1964 in Hangzhou, a city in eastern China. When he was young, he was not a strong student. He failed many exams at school and university. But he didn’t give up. He kept trying and learning.

Jack Ma was very interested in English. When he was a teenager, he rode his bicycle to a hotel every morning. He spoke to tourists from other countries to practice English. This helped him become very good at speaking.

After university, Jack Ma became an English teacher. He didn’t have much money, but he had big ideas. In the 1990s, he visited the United States and saw the internet for the first time. He realised that the internet could help businesses grow.

In 1999, he started a company called Alibaba. This company helps people buy and sell things online. At first, many people thought Alibaba would not be successful. But Jack Ma believed in his dream. He worked very hard, and his team did too. Today, Alibaba is one of the biggest online shopping companies in the world.

Jack Ma is also known for his positive thinking. He often tells young people to be brave and never give up. He says, “If you don’t give up, you still have a chance.”

In 2019, Jack Ma retired from his job at Alibaba. He now spends time helping young people and giving money to charity.

Jack Ma’s story shows that it is okay to make mistakes. What matters is that we keep learning and trying.

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Cloze Activity: Fill in the Blanks

Word Bank: teacher internet Alibaba English China charity

Jack Ma is a famous businessman from ________. He worked as a ________ before he started a business. He loved ________ and practiced every day. He saw the ________ for the first time in the USA. He started a company called ________, which helps people buy and sell online. Now, Jack Ma gives money to ________.

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 🟨Speaking Practice: Pair Work

Take turns asking and answering:

▪ What did Jack Ma do before he started Alibaba?
▪ Why did he learn English?
▪ When did he start Alibaba?
▪ Why do you think he is successful?
▪ What advice does Jack Ma give to young people?

🟩Grammar Focus: Prepositions of Time and Place

Look at the sentences from the reading:

▪ He was born in 1964.
▪ He practiced English in the morning.
▪ He spoke to tourists at a hotel.
▪ He started Alibaba in 1999.
▪ He retired in 2019.

Preposition Rules:

Preposition	Use for	Example
in	months, years, periods	in 1964, in the morning
on	specific days/dates	on Monday, on 5 May
at	specific time/place	at 7 o'clock, at the hotel

Fill in the blanks with in, on, or at:

1. Jack Ma was born ___ 1964.
2. He practiced English ___ the morning.
3. He met tourists ___ the hotel.
4. He started Alibaba ___ 1999.
5. He retired ___ 2019.
6. I usually eat lunch ___ 12 o’clock.
7. She works ___ the city.
8. We go shopping ___ Saturdays.

 🟦Listening:  Jack Ma

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🎲 "Jack Ma Story Cubes" Speaking Game

Level: A2
Group size: 2–6 players (or whole class in teams)
Materials:
▪ Printed story cube prompts (template below)
▪ One die (or number cards 1–6)
▪ Timer or watch (optional)

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🎯 Objective:

Students roll a die to receive a speaking prompt about Jack Ma’s life. They must speak for 30–60 seconds using what they learned in the lesson.

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🎲 How to Play:

1. Put students in pairs or small groups.
2. Each player takes turns rolling a die.
3. The number tells them which speaking prompt to answer.
4. They must talk for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Their teammates can ask 1–2 follow-up questions.
6. Optional: Give points for fluent, accurate speech or using vocabulary from the lesson!

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🎲 Story Cube Prompts

🎲 Roll	Prompt
1	Talk about Jack Ma’s childhood. Where was he born? What was he like as a student?
2	Explain how Jack Ma learned English. Where did he go? Who did he talk to?
3	Describe why Jack Ma started Alibaba. What did he see in the USA? What was his idea?
4	Talk about Jack Ma’s success. Why is Alibaba important today?
5	Share some advice Jack Ma gives to young people. What does he say about failure?
6	Talk about your own dream or goal. What job do you want? Why?

⬛Writing Task – Homework

Write 5–8 sentences about a person you admire.
Use the past simple and include:
▪ who they are
▪ what they did
▪ why you admire them

Example:
I admire my uncle. He worked hard when he was young…

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✅ Answer Key

Vocabulary Matching

1. c — Tourist
2. d — Practice
3. e — Businessman
4. f — Internet
5. b — Charity
6. a — Founder

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Cloze Activity

Jack Ma is a famous businessman from China. He worked as a teacher before he started a business. He loved English and practiced every day. He saw the internet for the first time in the USA. He started a company called Alibaba, which helps people buy and sell online. Now, Jack Ma gives money to charity.

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Grammar: Prepositions

1. in
2. in
3. at
4. in
5. in
6. at
7. in
8. on

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 English Lesson: Jack Ma – From Failure to Fortune

Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)We

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 🟥  Warm-Up Discussion (Small Groups or Pairs)

Discuss these questions:

▪ What does it mean to be successful?
▪ Do you think success always comes from education?
▪ Can failure be useful in life? How?
▪ Have you ever heard of Jack Ma?

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▪ Key Vocabulary

Match the words to the meanings.

Vocabulary	Definition
1. Resilient	a. to continue despite failure or difficulties
2. Entrepreneur	b. someone who starts a business
3. Rejected	c. strong and able to recover quickly
4. Innovative	d. turned down or refused
5. Vision	e. creative, new, and forward-thinking
6. Persevere	f. a clear idea or plan for the future

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 🟧Reading Text: Jack Ma – From Failure to Fortune

Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, is one of the most recognisable business figures in the world today. But his journey to success was far from smooth.

Born in Hangzhou, China, in 1964, Ma grew up during a time of major political and economic change. As a teenager, he was fascinated by English and would ride his bike to hotels every morning just to talk with foreign tourists. This informal learning helped him become fluent in English and sparked his global perspective.

Despite his passion, Ma faced constant rejection. He failed his university entrance exam twice, and after finally graduating, he applied for over 30 jobs—including KFC and the police—but was rejected by all of them. Still, Ma didn’t give up. Instead, he focused on learning from his experiences.

In the mid-1990s, during a visit to the United States, Ma was introduced to the internet. He instantly recognised its potential. After returning to China, he launched a series of online ventures. In 1999, with 17 friends and a modest amount of startup capital, he founded Alibaba—an online marketplace designed to help small businesses sell their goods globally.

Alibaba didn’t succeed overnight. Many people doubted the idea, and the company struggled for years. However, Ma remained focused on his long-term vision. His resilience and innovative thinking eventually paid off. By 2014, Alibaba had become one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies.

In 2019, Ma stepped down as chairman to focus on philanthropy and education. Today, his story is a reminder that failure is often the first step to success—if you persevere and learn from it.

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▪ Comprehension Questions

Answer in full sentences:

1. How did Jack Ma learn English as a teenager?
2. What kinds of jobs was he rejected from?
3. When and how did he discover the internet?
4. What made Alibaba successful in the long term?
5. What lesson can we learn from Jack Ma’s story?

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  🟨Speaking Practice – Partner Discussion

Take turns asking and answering:

▪ Have you ever failed at something and later succeeded?

▪ Do you think Jack Ma’s success is because of luck, hard work, or something else?

▪ Would you like to start a business one day? What kind?

▪ What lessons can students learn from his story?

🟩Grammar Focus: Past Perfect + Time Expressions

Examples from the text:

▪ He had applied for more than 30 jobs before he started his own business.
▪ Ma had already failed the entrance exam twice before he was accepted.

Review:

Past Perfect = had + past participle
Used to show an earlier past action before another past event.

Time expressions: before, by the time, already, yet, just, never

Practice:

Complete the sentences using the past perfect:

1. Jack Ma __________ (fail) his exams before he got into university.
2. He __________ (not find) a job before he started Alibaba.
3. By the time he visited the US, he __________ (learn) English well.
4. He __________ (face) many rejections before he succeeded.
5. He __________ (not start) Alibaba yet when he first saw the internet.

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Writing Task – Homework

Write 150–200 words on one of these topics:

Option 1:
“Describe a time you faced a challenge or failure. What happened, and what did you learn from it?”

Option 2:
“Who is someone you admire for their perseverance? Describe their journey.”

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✅ Answer Key

Vocabulary Matching:

1. c – Resilient
2. b – Entrepreneur
3. d – Rejected
4. e – Innovative
5. f – Vision
6. a – Persevere

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Grammar – Past Perfect:

1. had failed
2. had not found
3. had learned
4. had faced
5. had not started

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Beginner English Lesson: Jack Ma

 🟥Talk with a Partner

Point to the correct answer or say your answer.

▪ Do you know Jack Ma?

▪ Is he a teacher? A businessman? A singer?

▪ Do you buy things online?

▪ What do you want to be?

 🟧 Reading – Jack Ma 

Jack Ma is from China.

He was born in 1964.

 He was a student. He wanted to learn English.

 He rode his bike to a hotel. He talked to tourists every day.

Jack Ma became an English teacher.

 Later, he had a big idea.

 He made a company on the internet.

The company is called Alibaba. People use it to buy and sell online.

Jack Ma is now a very rich man.

 He helps schools and gives money to students.

 🟨Speaking: Questions – Yes or No / Short Answer

Answer the questions:

1. Is Jack Ma from China?

2. Did Jack Ma ride his bike to school?

3. Did he talk to tourists?

4. Was he a doctor?

5. Is Alibaba a school?

6. Did he help students?

🟩 Learn New Words

Match the word to the picture or meaning.

Word Meaning / Picture

1. teacher a person who helps students learn

2. student a person who learns

3. businessman a person who works with money and jobs

4. internet a place online to get or share information

5. English a language spoken in many countries

6. China a big country in Asia

✅ You can use pictures or flashcards with this section.

 🟩 Grammar – Past Simple Verbs

Base Verb Past Verb

is was

talk talked

ride rode

help helped

become became

make made

🔤 Practice: Fill in the blanks

1. Jack Ma ___ a student. (was)

2. He ___ to tourists. (talked)

3. He ___ his bike. (rode)

4. He ___ a teacher. (became)

5. He ___ a company. (made)

🟪 Speaking Practice – Ask a Friend

Take turns asking:

▪ What is Jack Ma’s job?

▪ Where is he from?

▪ What did he do when he was young?

▪ Do you like shopping online?

✅ Use visuals to help support these questions.

⬛7. Writing – Short Answers

Write short answers (1–2 sentences):

▪ Who is Jack Ma?

▪ What did he make?

▪ What language did he learn?

✅ Answer Key

Yes/No Questions:

1. Yes

2. No (He rode his bike to a hotel)

3. Yes

4. No

5. No (It is a company)

6. Yes

Grammar Fill-in:

1. was

2. talked

3. rode

4. became

5. made

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