CBEST: successful person essay!

A new CBEST essay! Please advice!

Topic 3: Organize a well-written essay about a person you know and has become very successful. This success has in some way changed him or her. Explain how he or she is now different.

The Attitude of Success!

SEE BELOW

'My friend Tim has changed his manner after a big success in marketing.'

I believe that you should use this sentence at the beginning of the second paragraph.

And you do not need to use ' for example ' at the beginning of the third sentence of your second paragraph.

'However, the big success in marketing 'turned' Tim's position in the opposite way'

I think you should say 'effected' instead of 'turned'

I think I will be corrected after a moderator reads these posts : )

The Attitude of Success!

In many cases, people['s] attitude changesed after they have become successful. The prosperity has gained and the new level of life[-style] quality, makesde some persons to have a different[attitude] position [towards those close to them.] for their close-knit. The approach[attitude] can be positive or negative, and depend[different] from one [person]character to another. My friend Tim has changed his manner after [becoming very] a big success[ful] in marketing.

Working for poor and homeless people is a noble cause. When I met him [a]long time ago at San Francisco University, Tim has worked [part time] in [his] weekends part time at a shelter in downtown. For example, Every Saturday morning, he has collected food from his neighborhood and brought to the protection center. Then, in the afternoon, Tim has [he] distributed the food to the homeless. A smile or a drop of kindness can change for [the moment]a second the ugliness of the life. Sometime he has fed [the] handicapped and [the] sickness. Moreover, Tim has loved to play with kids and teach them small card tricks or to provide help [to] for others. I remember [one] story about a person that he has helped. An old lady lost it all her investments at[the] stock market and had a stroke. The shelter was the only one place where she [could]might go. She could not use the bathroom by herself and Tim has helped her. Through her eyes, she always [expressed her] appreciat[ion]ed[ for] Tim's help. His attitude impressed me, and I had only the best words for him.

However, [his] the big success in marketing turned Tim's [attitude.]position in the opposite way. After [graduating from the] University, he started to work into a company [selling]which has sold cosmetic products. His consideration for clients has helped him [achieve higher and higher sales.] to sell more and more products. This [made]pushed him to believe that no one [could] can touch him. In One day I met him in a big mall which [was] promot[ing]es a new perfume. When I asked him about his voluntar[y work] ies for shelters. His [callous response]ruthlessness surprised me. Not only [had] he stopped to lend[ing] a hand to people, but also he never donated a penny for them [either]. He was not anymore the person that I [knew;]met; it [he] was totally [changed.]different.

Now I [now]realize that you can never get to know people close to you completely! Anyway, I have kept in my memory only pleasant [memories] moments about Tim and I do treasure them. And, I have never stopped hoping that by a miracle, he will [again] become again the person I used to respect and admire!

You are on the right track. A couple of points:

1. You can delete most if not all of your first paragraph, which doesn't really say anything worth reading.

2. You give the reader a good sense of what an altruistic person Tim was. You don't do such a great job of explaining why or how he changed. That's because you don't supply specific details and anecdotes to show the new Tim the way you do when you are describing the old Tim. So, revise the second half of your essay to be more like the first half, adding in the same level of detail.

I really like the specificity of this essay. It's very different than the usual "successful person" essay, which lauds the person in question. I do agree with Sean that, if you could perhaps remember exactly what Tim said or how he expressed his new attitude when you met in the mall, that would add more life to the second half of the essay.

Hi SF_Sean,

First, thank you for your feedback. Second, I am a bit confuse. You wrote "You can delete most if not all of your first paragraph" but then "revise the second half of your essay to be more like the first half"

Please respond!

Ah, I wondered if that would confuse you. What I meant was that you should delete the first paragraph, then revise what is currently your third paragraph to be more like what is currently your second paragraph.

Thanks! I did changes in the first paragraph and I added a few details to the third. Also, I used Rajiv's notes. I look forward for a new opinion. Thanks in advance!

Topic 3: Organize a well-written essay about a person you know and has become very successful. This success has in some way changed him or her. Explain how he or she is now different.

The Attitude of Success!

SEE BELOW

The same criticism still apply. Your first paragraph, though stronger than before, can still go away. Your third paragraph has not changed much. You need specifics:



How so?



How did his promoting a brand of perfume show his arrogance and superiority.



Explain in more detail.



What exactly did he say? Some believable dialogue would be nice here.



Such as?

I have to disagree with Sean about the third paragraph. While more details are always nice, it seems clear to this reader that his attitude of arrogance and superiority, as expressed in conversation with you (rather than as expressed by selling perfume) was what shocked you. Also, I think that we all know how people pretend not to recognize one another. Again, details would make it stronger as a piece of creative writing but the CBEST is looking for you to simply demonstrate competence in English. So, you really need to make sure your grammar is clean more than you need to worry about vivid writing. I'd avoid dialogue, as that opens the door for punctuation errors.

So, looking at that paragraph, I see:

One day I met him in a mall, where he was was promoting a new perfume.

But, Tim spent money for useless things that, in his mind, made him unique.

In many cases, People's attitudes [often] change [on] after they becom[ing] successful. The prosperity gained makes [them] some persons believe that they are no any more the same [person] as before. As a result, the[ir] behavior towards those close to them is [also] changed. Surprising, [how] people are change ing from [having] a good and positive attitude to an arrogant and disrespectful [one] position. My friend Tim changed [in this way] his manner after becoming very successful in marketing.

Working for poor and homeless people is a noble cause. When I met him a long time ago at San Francisco University, Tim worked [as a] volunteer on his weekends at a shelter downtown. Every Saturday morning, he collected food from his neighborhood and brought [it] to the protection center. Then, in the afternoon he distributed the food to the homeless. A smile or [an act of] kindness can change for the moment, the ugliness of life. Sometimes he fed the handicapped and the sick. Tim loved to play with kids and teach them small card tricks or, to provide help to others. I remember one story about a person that he helped. An old lady lost all her investments at the stock market and had a stroke. The shelter was the only place she could go [to]. She could not use the bathroom by herself and Tim [would] helped her. Through her eyes, she always expressed her appreciation for Tim's help. His attitude impressed me and I had only the best words for him.

However, his success in marketing [turned] twisted Tim's attitude. After graduating from the University, he started to work in a company selling cosmetics products. His consideration for clients helped him achieve higher and higher sales. This made him believe that no one could touch him. One day, I met him in a mall which was promoting a new perfume. His arrogance and [sense of] superiority shocked me. He acted as though Moreover, Tim played like he did not recognize me. I asked him about his voluntary work for shelters, [and] his callous response surprised me. Not only had he stopped lending a hand to people but he never donated a penny for them either. [Instead, he] But, Tim spent money for useless things that made him unique, in [to] his mind. He was no more the person that I knew, he [but] was totally changed.

I now realize that you can never know people close to you completely! Anyway, I have kept only pleasant moments memories about Tim and I do treasure them. And[,] I have never stopped hoping that by a miracle, he will again become the person I used to respect[ed] and admire[d] !

Okay, I imagine the conversation going like this:

"How is your volunteer work with the shelters going?"

"I don't do it any more. I hate homeless people and will never donate a penny more to help them out."

This is pretty much what the essay implies happened at the moment, but it doesn't seem realistic, especially for someone who is pursing a marketing career and presumably knows how to avoid sounding like a completely heartless SOB in public. You really need to show rather than tell, for this to be truly effective.

Thanks! Sean, I like your imaginary conversation, but I am not sure if a dialog part is a good fit into a CBEST essay. The essay has some changes, base on Rajiv comments (thank you!), and I would like to see next opinion!

Topic 3: Organize a well-written essay about a person you know and has become very successful. This success has in some way changed him or her. Explain how he or she is now different.

The Attitude of Success!

People's attitudes often change on becoming successful. The prosperity makes them believe that they are no more the same person as before. As a result, their behavior towards those close to them is also changed. Surprising, how people change from having a good and positive attitude to an arrogant and disrespectful one. My friend Tim changed in this way after becoming very successful in marketing.

Working for poor and homeless people is a noble cause. When I met him, a long time ago, at San Francisco University, Tim worked as a volunteer in his weekends at a shelter downtown. Every Saturday morning, he collected food from his neighborhood and brought it to the protection center. Then, in the afternoon, he distributed the food to the homeless. A smile or an act of kindness can change for the moment the ugliness of life. Sometime he fed the handicapped and the sick. Tim loved to play with kids and teach them small card tricks or to provide help to others. I remember one story about a person that he helped. An old lady lost all her investments at the stock market and had a stroke. The shelter was the only place she could go to. She could not use the bathroom by herself and Tim would help her. Through her eyes, she always expressed her appreciation for Tim's help. His attitude impressed me and I had only the best words for him.

However, his success in marketing turned Tim's attitude. After graduating from the University, he started to work in a company selling cosmetics products. His consideration for clients helped him achieve higher and higher sales. This made him believe that no one could be better salesman than him. One day I met him in a mall where he was promoting a new perfume. His arrogance and sense of superiority shocked me. He acted as though he did not recognize me. I asked about his voluntary work for shelters, and his callous response surprised me. Not only had he stopped lending a hand to people, but he never donated a penny for them either. Instead, he spent money for useless thinks that, in his mind, made him unique. He was no more the person I knew; but was totally changed.

I now realize that you can never know people close to you completely! Anyway, I have kept only pleasant memories about Tim and treasure them. And, I have never stopped hopping that, by a miracle, he will again become the person I respected and admired!

No, no . . . the conversation was meant to highlight the weakness of your description, not as suggested material for insertion. In any event, your most recent version of your essay is much stronger. You are more specific about his type of arrogance (he believed no one could be better at sales than him). Your rephrasing of some of the other sentences helps a lot, too. It is now more clear that your description of what he said is a summary of what you gleaned from the conversation, rather than an attempt to paraphrase it.

Thank you!

Hello, where do you get the topics from?

Again, as I said in the other thread, Google can probably find you some. In fact, I would bet money that you could find several practice tests to work on, if not a comprehensive list of likely topics.

Also, visit the CBEST website for their tips on preparing for the test.

I did visit the CBEST website, but I was wondering if you had any sample topics.
Sorry

i believe there are more samples or practice topics through on line.
here are some topics:

• The minimum wage in America has been the subject of debate for many years. Many people argue we should be careful about sharp increases in the minimum wage because of the resulting inflation (higher labor costs equal higher consumer prices) and layoffs. Others believe the minimum wage is too low to support a family and should be raised to keep up with the cost of living. Write an essay analyzing and evaluating these opposing views on the minimum wage. You may include personal experience, knowledge, or observations

• Many recent high school graduates discover that despite possessing a high school diploma, they have no specific skills to enable them to obtain employment. Explain your feeling about introducing a "vocational skills program" as an alternative choice to the academic high school curriculum.

• There is a current trend in the United States toward smaller families. Sociologists attribute the decline in childbearing to many factors, including the dramatic rise of women in the work force, delayed marriage, divorce, and the high cost of raising and educating children. Discuss your view of the smaller family size and how it may affect future American society.