Prompt: It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Having been debated over the centuries is the issue on inherited talents (such as sport, music, etc.) and taught talents. It is widely believed throughout the world that some are born with certain talents while others are not. Yet, others rail against this point of view. Ċ It is a truth universally acknowledged that sometimes, the success of a person originates from the talents which he/she is born with. This stand point, therefore, is backed up by a majority of people, the prototype of which is Mozart, who boasted the gift of music and perfect pitch. Ċ Others, on the other hand, argue success can be achieved through practice after birth. Vincent Van Gogh, the prestigeous painter of the 19th century exemplifies this argument. A used-to-be art dealer as he was in his early years, Vincent chose to be a painter after the vicissitudes of life. Afterwards, masterpieces such as Starry Night and Sorrow had been created. Ċ From my perspective, the odds that a person can be taught to be successful are high, although inherited talents may change the course of this process to some extent. The reason lies in the effort of a person, that one may exploit his or her potential through practice, which play a key role in accomplishing the "mission impossible". As the famous saying goes, that genius comes from 1% of talents and 99% of effort, which illustrates that gifts might fade away one day, while practice can enable one to gain certain skills which will accompany him or her for a lifetime. Ċ In conclusion, talents from birth may not necessarily contribute to success, but practice and effort do.