A great nation should be prosperous in economy, democratic in politics, affluent in culture. Based on the above criteria, I agree with the author with certain reservations: the greatness of a nation should not be judged just on general well-being, but also marked with great individual achievements. Because the greatness of a nation is clearly marked by contributions from both its eminent individuals and ordinary populace. Moreover, the achievements of individuals actually exert influence on the welfare of the masses. Admittedly, the general populace's welfare should be the primary concern of any nation pursuing greatness. After all, it's the ordinary people who make up the largest population of a nation. Thus they largely determine the economic and cultural climate of a nation. Their dissatisfaction with the politics may throw the nation into turmoil; their long-term unemployment may essentially hamper the nation’s economic growth; their lack of liberality may hinder the development of diverse cultures. In other words, nation in pursuit of greatness cannot afford to ignore its people’s general welfare, since they are the basis for the stability, economic prosperity and cultural diversity of a nation. Despite the public’s paramount role in establishing a great nation, one should not ignore that one of the feature of a great nation, prosperity in economy, is directly related to scientific achievements made by eminent scientists.Sustainable economic growth actually comes from technological advances and scientific breakthroughs. For instance, scientists in Silicon Valley strive to provide the world with increasingly efficient and useful appliances, such as iPods and Microsoft system software, brought America striking economic development. In addition to scientists’ contribution to economic prosperity, they actually help facilitate the public’s well-being. Clearly, technology advancement offer people comfortable and efficient life, conducing to their well-being. Specifically, the advent of the airplanes, microwaves, and the computers signals the significant improvement of quality of peoples’ life. The talented artists of a nation also help to make the nation great by equipping it with cultural influence. The Roman Empire, for example, is generally considered a great nation partly because of its excellent architecture, such as the Coliseum, the marvelous building attracting thousands of tourists every year. When people marvel at the majesty the Coliseum, they could easily conceive the greatness of the Roman Empire. Meanwhile, as scientists do, fine arts can improve the welfare of the masses by providing them with aesthetic pleasure and enlightening experience. The political leaders of a nation also help to render this nation great, by promoting harmony of society, freedom of mind, and democracy of politics. It’s questionable to label a nation as a great one if it has a tyrannical and autocratic ruler. On the contrary, a liberal and efficient leader can make a country a better place, leading its people to a brighter future. One example is Roosevelt: wisely using new regulations, he successfully led the Americans to come through the great Depression of the 1930s. Notably, the public’s cooperation and involvement is indispensable for the success of the policies. That above all means that only by combining both individual achievements and general welfare can a nation approach greatness. The personal accomplishments are no less important than the general well-beings because they conduce to both material comforts and spiritual enjoyment of the public