Why read this: This is a simple story about a young man who started small and built a big company. Ding Shizhong left school at 17. He took 600 pairs of shoes to a big city. Slowly, his small shop grew into Anta, one of the biggest sports brands in China. Students will like this 'rags to riches' story. It shows that big companies often start very small. The story is also a good way to talk about Chinese brands and how they go to other countries.
What to notice: Notice the order of the story. It moves from the past (the late 1980s) to today. Look at the small numbers in the story: 17 years old, 600 pairs of shoes, and more than 10,000 shops. These numbers help students see how the company grew. Also notice the simple word 'but' in sentences like 'But beating Nike is not easy.' This word shows a problem after some good news.
Skills practised: Students practise reading short, simple sentences. They learn five useful business words from the side notes: 'multi-brand strategy', 'controlling stake', 'brand ambassador', 'made in China', and 'supply chain'. The questions ask students to find facts in the text and to put events in order. The open questions ask students to describe and to list things from the story. This is good practice for finding and organising information.
A Chinese Brand That Wants to Beat Nike
How a young man with 600 pairs of shoes built a famous Chinese sports brand called Anta
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
In China, a man named Ding Shizhong started one of the country's most famous shoe companies. Today his brandbrand: A type of product made by a particular company, identified by a name or symbol. — 品牌；牌子 is called Anta. It is one of the biggest sports brands in China. Anta now wants to be famous in America too. But first, it must competecompete: To take part in a race, contest, or other event to try to win. — 竞争；参加比赛 with Nike.
Ding's story began in the late 1980s. He was only 17 years old when he left high school early. His family had a small shoe factoryfactory: A building where goods are made by machines. — 工厂 in southernsouthern: Of, facing, situated in, or related to the south — 南方的；南部的 China. Ding decided to take 600 pairs of shoes to a big city to sell them. With this money, he opened his very first small workshopworkshop: A meeting at which people engage in discussion and practical work on a subject; a room used for making or repairing things. — 研讨会；车间；工作坊. He started making shoes for other companies, but he had bigger dreamsdream: Images or thoughts you experience while sleeping, or something you hope to achieve. — 梦；梦想.
Slowlyslowly: At a low speed; not quickly. — 慢慢地；缓慢地, his business grew larger and larger. Ding gave the company the name Anta. The word means 'safesafe: Not in danger; out of harm's reach — 安全的 stepsstep: One movement of your foot when you are walking. — 步；步骤' in Chinese. Soon, Anta opened many shops all over China. It also made shoes for big sports events. Today, Anta has more than 10,000 shops in China.
Anta also bought parts of other famous Western brands. This plan is called a multi-brand strategy: a business plan based on owning and selling many separate brands — 多品牌战略. Anta bought a controlling stake: a share large enough to control the decisions of a company — 控股权；控制权 in some Western sports companies. It also paid famous athletesathlete: A person who is very good at sports or physical exercise. — 运动员 to be a brand ambassador: a famous person who is paid to officially represent a brand — 品牌代言人 for Anta. Some people in the West do not trust a 'made in China' brand: a product known to be made in China; some Western buyers think these products are not as good — “中国制造” 的品牌（含贬义联想） brand. So Anta uses Western names to sell more of its products.
In February, Anta opened its first shop in America. China makes most of the world's shoes today. It has a strong supply chain: the network of companies and steps that make and deliver a product — 供应链 for shoes and sports clothes. But beatingbeat: To defeat someone in a competition or game. — 打败；击败 Nike is not easy. Nike is still the biggest sports brand in the world. Anta knows this very well. The company says it will keep trying for many years.
In China, a man named Ding Shizhong started one of the country's most famous shoe companies. Today his brandbrand: A type of product made by a particular company, identified by a name or symbol. — 品牌；牌子 is called Anta. It is one of the biggest sports brands in China. Anta now wants to be famous in America too. But first, it must competecompete: To take part in a race, contest, or other event to try to win. — 竞争；参加比赛 with Nike.
Ding's story began in the late 1980s. He was only 17 years old when he left high school early. His family had a small shoe factoryfactory: A building where goods are made by machines. — 工厂 in southernsouthern: Of, facing, situated in, or related to the south — 南方的；南部的 China. Ding decided to take 600 pairs of shoes to a big city to sell them. With this money, he opened his very first small workshopworkshop: A meeting at which people engage in discussion and practical work on a subject; a room used for making or repairing things. — 研讨会；车间；工作坊. He started making shoes for other companies, but he had bigger dreamsdream: Images or thoughts you experience while sleeping, or something you hope to achieve. — 梦；梦想.
Slowlyslowly: At a low speed; not quickly. — 慢慢地；缓慢地, his business grew larger and larger. Ding gave the company the name Anta. The word means 'safesafe: Not in danger; out of harm's reach — 安全的 stepsstep: One movement of your foot when you are walking. — 步；步骤' in Chinese. Soon, Anta opened many shops all over China. It also made shoes for big sports events. Today, Anta has more than 10,000 shops in China.
Anta also bought parts of other famous Western brands. This plan is called a multi-brand strategy: a business plan based on owning and selling many separate brands — 多品牌战略. Anta bought a controlling stake: a share large enough to control the decisions of a company — 控股权；控制权 in some Western sports companies. It also paid famous athletesathlete: A person who is very good at sports or physical exercise. — 运动员 to be a brand ambassador: a famous person who is paid to officially represent a brand — 品牌代言人 for Anta. Some people in the West do not trust a 'made in China' brand: a product known to be made in China; some Western buyers think these products are not as good — “中国制造” 的品牌（含贬义联想） brand. So Anta uses Western names to sell more of its products.
In February, Anta opened its first shop in America. China makes most of the world's shoes today. It has a strong supply chain: the network of companies and steps that make and deliver a product — 供应链 for shoes and sports clothes. But beatingbeat: To defeat someone in a competition or game. — 打败；击败 Nike is not easy. Nike is still the biggest sports brand in the world. Anta knows this very well. The company says it will keep trying for many years.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
How old was Ding Shizhong when he left high school?
- 02
How many shops does Anta have in China today?
- 03
Why does Anta buy other Western brands?
- 04
Describe how Ding Shizhong started his shoe business. Use three details from the article.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
List three things Anta does to grow bigger and become famous in other countries.
Suggested length: ~50 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
How old was Ding Shizhong when he left high school?
- 02
How many shops does Anta have in China today?
- 03
Why does Anta buy other Western brands?
- 04
Describe how Ding Shizhong started his shoe business. Use three details from the article.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
List three things Anta does to grow bigger and become famous in other countries.
Suggested length: ~50 words