[9급 지방직 영어 2011년 14번]

The definition of success for many people is one of acquiring wealth and a high material standard of living. It is not surprising, therefore, that people often value education for its monetary value. The belief is widespread that the more schooling people have, the more money they will earn when they leave school. This belief is strongest regarding the desirability of an undergraduate university degree, or a professional degree such as medicine or law. The money value of graduate degrees in ‘nonprofessional’ fields such as art, history, or philosophy is not as great.

In the past, it was possible for workers with skills learned in vocational schools to get a high-paying job without a college education. Increasingly, however, the advent of new technologies has meant that more and more education is required to do the work.