【明報專訊】Forbes (《福布斯》), an American business magazine, compiles its World's Billionaires list annually. Who are in the 2019 list's top three?

(1) Jeff Bezos (貝索斯) , Age: 55

Jeff Bezos founded e-commerce company Amazon (亞馬遜) in 1994 and remains its CEO. Amazon began as an online bookstore and has expanded to a variety of products and services, including video and audio streaming.

"I didn't think I'd regret trying and failing. And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all."

(2) Bill Gates (蓋茨) , Age: 63

Bill Gates remains a board member of Microsoft (微軟), the software firm he founded with Paul Allen in 1975. With his wife, he now chairs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the world's largest private charitable foundation. It strives to save lives and improve global health.

"It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure."

(3) Warren Buffett (巴菲特) , Age: 88

Warren Buffett is one of the most successful investors of all time. He is the son of a U.S. congressman, and he first bought stocks (股票) at age 11. He runs Berkshire Hathaway, which owns more than 60 companies. He has promised to give away over 99% of his fortune.

"Price is what you pay. Value is what you get."

Sources: Ming Pao, Forbes

■English highway﹕heed

heed = to pay attention to someone's advice or warning

e.g. If he had only heeded my warnings, he would not have made the mistakes.

■Game

To achieve the dream of becoming a billionaire, Eason should improve his mathematical skills first. Dr Panda gives the following challenge to him:

Use the following three numbers to make a number sentence that equals 10.

(See picture)

■Quiz

1. The World's Billionaires list is compiled by ______________.

2.Who founded Microsoft? ______________________________.

3. Warren Buffett has promised to donate over 90% of his fortune.

True / False

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

expand (v) 擴展

haunt (v) 纏繞

charitable foundation (n phr) 慈善基金會

fortune (n) 大筆財產

[Smarties' Power English 第243期]