Carlos Slim

 Carlos Slim Helú is one of the most important business people in the world. For many years, he was the richest person in the world. He was born in Mexico City in 1940. His parents were from Lebanon and moved to Mexico because life in Lebanon was difficult. His father had little money at first but slowly built a small business. He taught Carlos to work hard, save money, and plan for the future.

When he was young, Carlos learned about money and business. He did not only wait for money from his family. He learned how to see good opportunities and make smart choices, even when the economy was difficult. Many people avoided business during these hard times, but Carlos saw chances to grow.

Carlos became very famous when he bought Telmex, the main phone company in Mexico. This company used to belong to the government. Later, he built a big telecom company that worked in many countries in Latin America.

Carlos also invested in banks, construction, mining, shops, and media. He bought part of The New York Times newspaper in the United States. This shows that his business is very large and international.

People admire Carlos Slim because he works hard, is patient, and plans for the long term. He does not spend a lot of money on luxuries and often puts money back into his businesses. He also gives money to help education, health, and culture in Mexico.

Some people do not like him because he owns very big companies that limit competition. This means prices can be high and it is hard for other companies to compete. His story shows that in Mexico, some people are very rich while many others are poor. This makes people ask questions about fairness, government rules, and free markets.

2. Vocabulary Match

Instructions: Match the word with the correct definition.

WordDefinition
1. entrepreneura. when companies try to sell more than others
2. opportunityb. unfair difference between people or groups
3. monopolyc. a business person who starts and grows companies
4. wealthd. a chance to do something good or profitable
5. investe. the money and possessions someone owns
6. profitf. to put money into a business to grow it
7. competitiong. the money a company earns after costs
8. diversifyh. to spread money or business into different areas
9. influencei. the power to affect people or events
10. inequalityj. when one company controls the market

3. Synonym Match

Instructions: Match each word with its synonym.

WordSynonym
1. opportunity— business starter
2. entrepreneur— chance
3. wealth— single company control
4. monopoly— riches
5. competition— put money in
6. diversify— earnings
7. invest— rivalry
8. profit— expand into new areas
9. inequality— power
10. influence— unfair difference

4. Top 5 Famous Entrepreneurs – Discussion Task

Instructions: Choose two entrepreneurs and answer the questions.

  • Carlos Slim – telecoms, banks, media

  • Elon Musk – technology, space, electric cars

  • Jeff Bezos – online shopping, Amazon

  • Juan Roig – retail, supermarkets

  • Isak Andic – clothing, Mango

  • Amancio Ortega – clothing, Zara

  • Jack Ma – online shopping, Alibaba

Questions:

  • Did they make new ideas or control markets?

  • Did they work closely with governments?

  • Did they help society?

  • Do people admire or criticize them?

5. Role-Play Activities

Role-Play A – Family Dinner: Hero or Villain?

Characters:

  • Parent – neutral

  • Young Adult – admires Carlos Slim

  • Relative – thinks he is unfair

Starter:
Parent: Why do people argue about Carlos Slim?
Young Adult: He built a big business by working hard.
Relative: But ordinary people paid more for services.

Role-Play B – Live TV: Economics

Characters:

  • Host

  • Economist A – supports free markets

  • Economist B – says monopolies are bad

Starter:
Host: Has Carlos Slim helped Mexico’s economy?
Economist A: Yes, he created jobs and built infrastructure.
Economist B: But prices are high and competition is limited.

Role-Play C – Small Business vs Telecom Company

Characters:

  • Business Owner

  • Telecom Executive

Starter:
Owner: Internet costs are too high.
Executive: We need to invest a lot in networks.

Role-Play D – Government Regulators Meeting

Characters:

  • Regulator A – wants anti-monopoly rules

  • Regulator B – wants more investment

  • Minister – mediator

Starter:
Regulator A: We must stop monopolies.
Regulator B: Companies will leave the country.
Minister: We need a balance.

Role-Play E – University Podcast Debate

Characters:

  • Student A – thinks Slim is smart and disciplined

  • Student B – thinks inequality is bad

Starter:
Student A: Success like his takes intelligence.
Student B: But the system is unfair.

6. Corporate Power & Market Dominance

Exercise 1 – Dominant Companies

Instructions: Look at these industries. Who is the main company? Do they have competitors? Are they good or bad for society?

6. Corporate Power & Market Dominance

Exercise 1 – Dominant Companies and Real Power

Instructions:
The industries below are not total monopolies, but they are strongly dominated by very successful companies. Discuss who are those companies,  how much power they really have in their industry and whether the industry is being harmed , or not, by their dominance? Do they have any competitions or emerging competitions ?

Industries and dominant companies

  • Internet search — 

  • Social media —  

  • Online retail —  

  • Smartphones —  

  • Streaming —  

  • Electric vehicles —  

  • Ride-sharing — 

  • Fast food —  

  • Sportswear — 

Discussion Questions:

  • How do these companies affect consumers?

  • Is it easy for new companies to compete?

  • Are they helpful or harmful?

  • Should governments control them more?

7. Comparing Industries & Risk

Exercise 2 – Compare and Decide

Instructions: Which industry is more dangerous to monopolize? Why? Use phrases: “In contrast to…”, “A key difference is…”, “This is more serious because…”

  • Healthcare vs Social media

  • Energy vs Fashion

  • Education vs Entertainment

  • Banking vs Transportation

  • Technology vs Food

8. Agree or Disagree?

Exercise 3 – Your Opinion

Do you agree? Explain why.

  1. “Monopolies are bad in all industries.”

  2. “Consumers do not need many choices.”

  3. “Big companies are more creative than small companies.”

  4. “Governments are too slow to control big companies.”

  5. “Some industries work better with few companies.”

9. Ranking Task – Danger of Monopoly

Exercise 4 – Rank the Industries

Rank these industries from most dangerous to least dangerous if one company controlled everything. Explain your reasons.

  • Healthcare

  • Energy

  • Technology

  • Food

  • Banking

  • Education

10. Final Reflection

  • Is Carlos Slim a result of talent or the system?

  • Can capitalism work without monopolies?

  • Should governments limit very rich people?

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