examples of hook strategies

1. Nov 2013 WritingQuestion
"The most importantfactorwhichcontributestowardsaperson'ssuccessishimself."
Do youagree withthe statement?Justifyyourstand,givingrelevantexampleswhere appropriate.
You shouldwrite atleast 350 words.
a. Facts/Data/Statistics (Newsarticles,data from graphs/surveys etc)
(Accordingtoan article inForbesmagazine onWorld's100 Top Successful people,90% of people
become successful basedontheirunique individual charactersratherthantalentalone.This means
that people whohave the same greattalent - take singingforexample - are bothcapable of
becomingsuccessfulbutthe one whohasthe characteristicsfanslike suchasfriendly,well-groomed
withhighself-esteemandcreativityare more likelyto achieve superstardomcomparedtoan
introvertedsingerwithlowself-confidence andcharisma.)(Itismyhumble opinionthatIabsolutely
agree withthe statementthatthe mostimportantfactor whichcontributestowardsaperson's
successishimself.) We cananalyse thisissue intermsof the humanfactorwhichare hisinnate
qualities,hisdrive forsuccessandhisabilitytosustainsuccess.
b. Questions(Rhetorical questionsrelatedto the issue)
Is talentenoughtoachieve success?How isitpossible forasetof twinswhoare both equallygood
insinging,yetonlyone becomesasuccessful singerwhile the otherdoesnot?Cana person's
character determine hisorherabilitytoachieve successinlife?Frommypointof view,the answer
liesinthe fact that itis indeedthe personhimself whichcontributestowardshisownsuccess.Inthis
essay,Iwouldlike todiscusshowa person'sinnate talent,hisdrive tosucceedandhismotivationto
stay at the top are the reasonsthatdifferentiate everyone of ustherefore controllingoursuccess
metres.
c. An anecdote (Storythat is relatedto the issue)
There wasonce a farmerwhohad triplets.He couldnotdecide whichsonshouldinherithisproperty
so he gave each of his three sonsthe same sumof moneyandtoldthemto achieve success.The first
son usedthe moneyasa dowryand managedto acquire the chief'sdaughterasa wife.The second
son usedthe moneytobeton horsesbutlostit all.The thirdson boughtcowswiththe intentof
breedingthem,milkingthemandmakingbutterandcheese of whichhe wouldsell atthe market.
Finally,the farmerchose the thirdsonbecause he wasthe onlysoncapable of 'growing'his
investment.The pointof all thisisto show that whenthe playingfieldisleveled,and there isequal
opportunity,successorfailure isdeterminedbythe decisionseachindividual makes.Therefore,I
stronglyagree withthe statementthatthe mostimportantfactorwhichcontributestowardsa
person'ssuccessishimself.Inlightof this,there are manyaspectsof the personhimselfwhich
contributestohissuccess,namelyhisaptitude,attitudeanddrive tosucceed.

2. d. Examples(Variousrelatedexamples)
DonaldTrump isrenownedthe worldoverforhisacute businessacumenastestified byhisTrump
empire.Hisentrepreneurshipskillshave beencommonlymimickedbutrarelyreplicatedasmany
aspire to become like himbutseldomachievethe level of hissuccess.The secretof hissuccessishis
unique characterwhichisdrivenbyhisdesire torise above all,includinghimself.There are other
examplesof extremelysuccessfulpeople whohave achievedsuccessnotsolelybasedontalentbut
theirindividual characteristicssuchasMark Zuckerbergandour ownDatuk TonyFernandeztoname
a few.Frommy perspective,the mostimportantfactorwhichcontributestowardsaperson's
successisindeedhimself.Thiscanbe provenintermsof hisowntalent,hischaracter andmotivation
to remainsuccessful.
e.Contrast (Describingthe opposite of a givensituation,eg. topic: Money,opposite:No Money)
A personbornintoan affluentfamily,whentakingoverthe father'sbusinessmanagestorunthe
businessdownthe ground.The questionthenarisesastowhythe son failedtofollow inthe
footstepsof hisfatherwheneverythingwashandedtohimona silverplatter.Simplyput,he might
have inheritedthe same genesbutthisdoesnotpredeterminehisindividualisticcharacteristicwhich
inturn contributestohisabilitytosucceedorin thiscase,fail.Similarly,apersonbornintoa poor
familywithnotmuchgiventohim,can scrape the barrelsandclaw out of hispovertyandmake a
successof his life unlike hisparentsorsiblings.The sheerdeterminationtosucceedgiveshimthe
necessaryelixirto lifthimoutof hisfate and create a new andbrighterfuture forhimself.Hence itis
my steadfastopinionthatthe environmentdoesnotplaythe mostcrucial factor indetermining
success,butit isindeedthe personhimself whatcontributestohisrise orfall.Todiscussthisissue,
letus lookat the three aspectsof success,namelyaperson'saptitude,attitude anddesiretosustain
success.
f.Projection(Imaginingthe future)
If everyone of us couldbe successful,wouldthisworldnotbe full of successful people?The very
fact that not everyone inthisworldtodayisasuccessstorystronglyimpliesthatthere are many
factors thatcontribute toa person'ssuccessbutit iseach individual himself thatgiveshimthe
cuttingedge.Inmy opinion,I completelyagree thatthe mostimportantfactorwhichcontributes
towardsa person'ssuccessishimself.There are manyfacetstothisissue butletus focuson a
person'sownability,characteranddeterminationthatwill leadtohisorhersuccess.