A.I. Explanation:

Option 1: "Mr. Ando business venture was successful with the public."

Explanation: The text states that by the end of the first year, Mr. Ando sold 13 million bags of instant noodles, indicating a strong public acceptance and success of his business venture. This aligns with the main idea that instant noodles became popular despite initial skepticism.

Option 2: "Mr. Ando products are not well-known outside of Japan."

Explanation: The text does not support this statement; in fact, it mentions that Mr. Ando's firm, Nissin, became a $3 billion global enterprise, suggesting that his products are well-known internationally.

Option 3: "Mr. Ando purchased the firm Nissin for $3 billion."

Explanation: This option is incorrect because the text states that Mr. Ando's firm, Nissin, became a $3 billion global enterprise, not that he purchased it for that amount. The phrasing misrepresents the information.

Option 4: "When instant noodles came on the market they cost much less than the fresh ones."

Explanation: The text clearly states that instant noodles cost six times as much as fresh noodles when they were introduced, making this statement false.

Option 5: "Mr. Ando was initially concerned about having so many competitors."

Explanation: The text does not indicate any concern from Mr. Ando regarding competitors; instead, it highlights his success and the rapid growth of his business, suggesting confidence rather than concern.

Option 6: "People in the noodle business initially ridiculed Mr. Ando's idea."

Explanation: The text mentions that fresh-noodle makers laughed at instant noodles when they first appeared, confirming that Mr. Ando's idea was ridiculed by those in the noodle business, which supports this option.