2014年2月15日writing task2:  Some people think that success of life is based on hard work and determination, but others think there are some more important factors like money and appearance. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? 

The definition of a successful life varies according to different people and normally we consider people who achieve the goal of their life to be success. Traditionally hard work and strong determination are deemed as key factors to the success of life, but nowadays many people emphasize that money and personal appearance play a more important role. This essay will discuss both opinions in detail.

Those who advocate that hard work and determination are basis of the success of life have their reasons. First, there is no doubt that with the right guidance, those who work diligently tend to earn more salary and therefore are more likely better off than those who are not devoted to their work. By working hard, one can accumulate more work experience and win more opportunities of career advancement; consequently they can fulfil their potential and their social value. Second, people with strong determination are usually more self-disciplined and self-motivated. When they are confronted with setbacks and difficulties in life, they have more courage to overcome these barriers, as they never put up with failure. On the contrary, if people are not strong-willed, they easily give up when they experience frustration from failure.

It is also understandable that many people value other factors like personal appearance or money in today's commercial society. There is no denying that those with attractive appearance are more likely to win more job opportunities as they often leave good first impressions on interviewers. This is particularly true when the job responsibilities include communicating with people. For example, a career survey reveals that good-looking salesmen tend to make more deals, as customers are often appealed and more patient with their persuasion. Besides, with ample fund, people can try out different ways and therefore tend to find access to success. However, one cannot achieve long-term success if he is idle and weak-willed, even he has attractive appearance and money in his youth, as these factors will disappear with time.

In conclusion, although in certain circumstances people with attractive appearance and money can succeed at a time, hard work and determination are always essential factors in achieving personal success. Therefore, it is never too much to emphasize the role of hard work and determination and young people are particularly in need of them in order to own a successful life. （By Amy)