Read the following passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. The majority of people who fail to accumulate money sufficient for their needs, are generally, easily influenced by the opinions of others. They permit the newspapers and the gossiping neighbours to do their thinking for them. Opinions are the cheapest commodities on the earth. Everyone has a flock of opinions ready to be wished upon by anyone who will accept them. If you are influenced by opinions when you reach decisions, you will not succeed in any undertaking. What is the main idea of the passage?

The passage clearly states that people who fail are "easily influenced by the opinions of others" and that "If you are influenced by opinions when you reach decisions, you will not succeed in any undertaking." This directly implies that to succeed, one should not be influenced by the opinions of others.

Let's analyze the options:

A) People should not be influenced by the opinions of others. This is the central message derived from the passage. The entire text builds up to the conclusion that being influenced by opinions leads to failure, thus advocating against it.

B) People should accumulate as much money as they can. While the passage mentions accumulating money as a context for failure, the main idea is not about the quantity of money but the reason for failing to accumulate it (being influenced by opinions).

C) People should neither give nor accept the opinions. The passage focuses on the negative consequences of being influenced by or accepting opinions that do your thinking for you. It does not mention whether people should give opinions or not.

D) People will succeed in any undertaking if they do not accept any opinion at all. This is a strong statement. The passage warns against being "influenced by opinions" when reaching decisions. While not accepting opinions that sway your decisions is implied, "any opinion at all" might be too absolute. The core message is about avoiding negative influence, not necessarily shutting out all external input entirely. Option A is a more accurate and less extreme summary of the passage's advice.