TOPIC 130

TOPIC 130: 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.

Essay 1

Is it true that only people who earn a lot of money are successful? Recently the controversy has been brought into focus. We cannot deny the fact that money is one of the yardsticks against which how much one has achieved is measured. However, in stark contrast, many people would rather stick to an opposite view.

The rhetoric that only when people have earned a colossal sum of money can they be regarded successful is not only unreasonable, unconvincing, or misleading but also absurd and ridiculous in that it has obviously neglected the celebrated scientists, sociologist, psychologists, philosophers and anthropologists who may have never had enough money to live a comfortable and convenient life yet they are virtually successful. For instance, Albert Einstein, The greatest physicist of the 20th century who created the theory of relativity and was awarded the Nobel Prize, was immune to becoming wealthy.

Besides, not all wealthy people are successful. A good case in point is that in West China, some farmers cut down millions of trees each year and sell the timber at a high price. As a result, environment has been devastated. Innocent people have to suffer floods and air pollutions. Although the farmers are rich, they are never successful but guilty.

Last but not the least, besides money, there exists a diverse array of other calibrations to measure one's achievement. The society awards its members in different ways. As long as one makes contributions to the society, he or she would earn respects.

Taking account of all these factors, we may easily reach the conclusion. Undeniably, people who disagree with the statement have a much stronger argument. Besides the wealthy, other people could also be regarded successful.

(Essay ID: 4 . Sample essay provided by Erin Billy of www.TestMagic.com)

Essay 2

Nowadays, many people who are living in the material world tend to believe that money is synonymous with success, and thus only people who earn a lot of money are successful. But is it the case? I beg to differ.

On one hand, the riches are not necessarily successful. To some extent, we can not consider an officer who was charged for his abusing his authority for personal gains successful, nor can we call a rich man who was left dying without care, while his sons were quarrelling for bigger share of his legacy a successful person.

A person’s success is measured by, as far as I am concerned, a good reputation in the community, a desirable role in the family, and satisfaction which comes from within.
On the other hand, not only those who earn a lot of money are successful. Numerous people who are universally deemed to be successful not because they make big bucks. An eastern Orthodoxy sister of great altruism, Mother Theresa threw this eager vitality of hers into a vehement striving after the social welfare of the needy and won the Nobel Prize; Michelangelo achieved immortal with his painting and sculpture, Beethoven with his music. Outside the spotlight, even common civilians live their respective life of success, seldom of which have something to do with large purse. Doctors are respectable with their patients, teachers with their students.

It is manifest from the above argument that the proposition” only people who earn a lot of money are successful” is still subjected to serious reconsideration.

(Essay ID: 3 . Sample essay provided by Erin Billy of www.TestMagic.com)

Essay 3

Many people believe that a large income equals success. I believe, however, that success is more than how much money you make. Some of those measures of success include fame, respect, and knowledge.

Most people assume that famous people are rich people, but that isn't always true. For example, some day I would like to be a famous researcher. Few scientists are rich by today's standards. Still, I will feel myself to be successful if lam well-known. Additionally, there are many famous humanitarians who are not rich. Mother Theresa was one. Certainly, no one would say she was not successful.

I also believe that being respected by coworkers indicates success. Without that respect, money means little. For example, I once did some work for a top attorney in a law firm. He made a very good salary, but he wasn't a nice man. No one ever did work for him willingly. He ordered everyone around, and we didn't respect him. In contrast, however, I had a wonderful band director in high school. He had to take extra jobs just to make enough money to support his family. However, his students had great respect for him and always listened to what he said. As a result, we were a very good band. In my opinion, my band director was more successful than the attorney was.

Finally, I think one of the most important indicators of success is knowledge. Wealthy people don't know all the answers. For example, in the movie Good Will Hunting, the only person who could solve some complex problems was the janitor. He knew a lot, and decided what he wanted to do with that knowledge rather than just think about money. In my opinion, he was extremely successful. When we think of history, there are few people that we remember simply because they were rich.

Overall, we remember people who did something with their lives-they were influential in politics, or contributed to science or art or religion. If history is the ultimate judge of success, then money surely isn't everything. (Essay ID: 5 )

Essay 4

Since people's criteria for success differ, there is much debate over whether only those who make a lot of money are successful. As far as I am concerned, in today's society which stresses on individual achievement, money provides the best evaluation of one's accomplishment.

To begin with, as a standardized measurement used for comparing values, money is objective rather than subjective, so it is considered an authentic reflection of one's achievement. As different people hold different understandings of success, assessing the amount of one's earnings has become universally accepted as a rule to measure one's success. Each year, Fortune Magazine publishes a special issue to rank the top 100 most successful people throughout the world according to their yearly income, because there is no other methods to rely on.

In addition, the amount of money one makes is the consequence of one's hard work and talent. To deny the accomplishment wealth brings is equal to deny the sources from which it springs. In the past, I only believed in spiritual values and then leapt rashly to the conclusion that the best thing in life involves no money at all. It is my uncle who showed me the significance of money and changed my opinion. He told me he respected money and made it a goal to strive for in his way towards success. Because he would have to pay a price for it in terms of time, thought and energy. Gradually, I came to realize it is the mental and physical labor he devotes in the process of making money that paves his way for self-accomplishment, and thus deserves appreciation and respect.

Finally, money is the most powerful possession in one's lifetime. As everyone knows, success is the ability to do whatever one wants to and to be satisfied with oneself. There is hardly anything that can be done without a certain amount of money. Indeed, with money, one can meet his or her material demand in life, such as taking effective medicines, living in magnificent houses, eating various delicious food, and so on. Also, with money, one can do a lot of meaningful things to benefit others, such as donations to poor people. All these will not only satisfy one's need for personal fulfillment, but also add grandness to one's success.

In conclusion, money serves as a measurement of one's achievement. But we should keep in mind that only those who obtain money by hardworking and use it to benefit the society are really successful.

(Essay ID: 2 )