Sentence 1: Alex became a salesman at a young age. 
 Sentence 3: His ability to spout facts and figures impressed customers 
 Sentence 4:  Given a promotion, he managed inventory based on this alone 
 Sentence 5:  His skill as a master manipulator helped him save face many times 
 Option 1: Electronics were his specialty, despite his lack of experience. 
 Option 2: He did not have a specialty, and lacked experience to be a master manipulator.