A

I went back to university full-time at 38 to finish my BA degree. I was the oldest student in all my classes but I would see a few older students around the college. I studied history and economics and did very well: I didn't have the distractions that are common among traditional-age students such as partying and boyfriend/girlfriend dramas; I had the discipline that comes from 20 years in the workplace, and thus did everything well and on time; and I had real-world experience that benefited me greatly.

Eamon O' Kelly

I got my master's degree when I was in my 40s. It wasn't any more difficult than it was to get my BA in my late teen-early 20s. Most of my classmates were in their mid to late 20s, but other than having a few cultural references that were different, the age difference was not an issue. In fact, I now have a terrific friend who is a decade younger than I and whom I would never have met had we not been in school together.

Dianne Mclaren-Brighton

I went back to school at 43 and got my BS in photography. I was very nervous about it: I thought the other students would be smarter than me, but that wasn’t the case. I thought the other students wouldn't like me, but that wasn’t the case, either. For the most part, people just do their own thing. I actually feel I had an advantage in classes in that the professors were mostly about my age so I could relate to them better than the other students.

Amer Khwaja

My husband left secondary school at 15, and joined the Royal Navy; when he left as a junior officer ten years later, they recommended that he should go to university, but he refused; he felt that at 25 he was too old. Fifteen years and a second career in industrial purchasing later, he suddenly decided he wanted to go to university. He had a wonderful time there, was suddenly a good ten years younger, got a very good degree in Computing and went on to a happy third career as a freelance programmer and systems analyst.

Gill Bullen

21. What's Eamon's advantage over other students?

A. He was older and smarter.           B. He had more cultural references.

C. He could relate to professors better.    D. He was better-disciplined from his work experience.

22. What does Gill’s husband do now?

A. He is a soldier.                    B. He is a college student.

C. He is a programmer and analyst.      D. He is an industrial purchaser.

23. What is the text mainly intended to convey?

A. One is never too old to learn.        B. Two heads are better than one.

C. Industry is the parent of success.     D. Lost years are worse than lost dollars.