Band 9: It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sports or Music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to Become a good person or musician. Discuss both these two views and give your own opinion

There are those who argue that some people are born with a talent for things such as sport or music, and others who think that, with the right training and effort, any child can acquire these skills.

The view which holds that individuals are born with talent maintains that this talent is mostly genetic in origin, and hence some individuals excel in specific domains due to their biological composition. Certain individuals are endowed with physical characteristics at birth that come with inherent abilities in sports. For instance, height is a fundamental attribute in the game of basketball. Moreover, there are children who exhibit prodigious ability at a very tender age, an indication of an inborn talent. For example, top athletes such as Usain Bolt had demonstrated remarkable speed when he was young, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was able to compose music at the age of five.

Nonetheless, the view that talent is nurtured through practice contends that individuals can master a specific field with dedication, training, and the right opportunities. The majority of the successful sports and music participants did not show early aptitude but developed it through intense practice because expertise at any activity requires frequent and focused practice. For example, chess grandmasters and professional musicians typically train for many years before they become excellent. Additionally, the majority of successful sports and music participants have been benefited by high levels of instruction and structured practices.

In my opinion, while natural ability will yield an initial advantage, training, discipline, and persistence are more instrumental to achieving long-term success in the long run. Those with inherent talent still have to put in hard work in order to improve, whereas others with no such innate capacity can still achieve mastery with devoted effort.

In a nutshell, while some are born with a talent for sports or music, hard work and practice are required to excel. Natural talent may provide an advantage, but dedication and practice can allow anyone to learn skills and become proficient.