Writing
Topic
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Only people
who earn a lot of money are successful. Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
☆Let’s
think
Reading the question carefully is the first
step toward writing a satisfactory essay. The words to mark in this statement are
probably “Only” and “successful.” Not many things can be described with words
like “only” or “all,” so trying to focus on proving this statement is wrong
might be a good start. To prove a statement that only A is B is wrong, all you
have to do is to show that non-A is also B. Therefore, to disagree with the
statement that only people who earn a lot of money are successful, you just
show that those who do not earn a lot of money are also successful.
Now, what is the definition of being
successful? Reaching goal helps one feel successful personally, but to others, might
not be successful. A murderer who has killed the person he believed should not
be in this world cannot be called a successful person. It seems that, to be
successful, a person must meet some unsaid criteria that society sets.
What kinds of people are said to be successful?
Do they have money, a higher status, or a good life? Are they admired by many
people? Have they accomplished something important? Is money an essential
factor to be regarded as a successful person? Is your uncle who owns a venture
business producing a lot of money successful while another uncle of yours who
is a dedicated high school teacher everyone in his community respects is not?
☆Sample short responses
1)
I
do not think earning a lot of money is necessary to be successful because there
are people who are looked upon as successful even though they do not make a lot
of money. A person can be regarded as successful if the person is leading a happy, decent life
which most people would wish to be theirs. For example, a devoted scientist who is happily
married can be successful even though he does not earn enough to enjoy
extravagance. His life is full of joy because he is doing what he wants to do
and he has life. He has a purpose in life and makes efforts for it day by day.
Even if it is not the case that his research is sure to see a breakthrough in
his lifetime, he is still happy because he knows that what he is doing is part
of a large current of a scientific pursuit in which he shares his interest and
passion with his numerous associates around the world, including those in the
past and in the future. If a person earns sufficiently and lives a respectable,
fulfilling life, he can be called a successful person.
2)
I
do not think earning a lot of money is necessary to be successful because there
are people who are looked upon as successful even though they do not make a lot
of money. A person can be regarded as successful if the person earns respect from the
world by doing what he believes right. Many artists and musicians young people
aspire to be like in the future were never rich. For example, Vincent van Gogh is one of the most
famous and successful artists. His paintings are sold at high prices. It might
be difficult to find a museum of modern art without a Gogh. Department stores
have retrospectives of van Gogh as often as those of Impressionists and it is
difficult to find a fine art textbook without
a page on his life and art. However, he never became rich by selling his paintings
while he was alive. What makes him successful is that he knew his artistic
experiment was on the right track and made the world recognize it through his
works. Although he was not happy in his private life and he was never rich, his
life was successful as an artist.
Sample Conclusion:
(Barron’s, Writing for the
TOEFL iBT, p.322)
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Your short response:
I think / do
not think earning a lot of money is necessary to be successful because there
are /aren’t people who are looked upon as successful even though they do not
make a lot of money. A person can be regarded as successful if …
For example, …
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