1 . Putting down the book I was reading, I turned to my mum. “Next year, when I go to high school…,” I started, thinking of all the novels I’d soon finish. But before I could finish my sentence, Mum ________ my words. “There will be no high school,” she said. “We don’t have ________ for uniforms or school shoes or books.”

My family were very poor and the kids all ________ school, including me. Years later, I met George and got married. Life went on,________ the desire to study never left me. “When we retire, I want to go to university,” I told George. I wanted to ________ to myself that I could do it.

In 2015, we ________ and I seized my chance. At the age of 66, I was ________ to a program with the University of the Sunshine Coast which helped ________ students prepare for university.

Walking onto campus that first day in February 2017, it was clear I was the ________ student there. My biggest challenge wasn’t the course work; it was the ________.

Before ________ my first paper, I turned to two girls next to me. “How do I send this in?” I asked. They kindly showed me, but as I clicked “send” I was ________ all that work had disappeared into the black hole of cyberspace never to be seen again.

I loved campus life and ________ all my subjects. When I was invited to ________, I cried. I couldn’t believe I’d done it. My family all came to my graduation ceremony in April 2023 and sat in the front row.

If you’re thinking of getting a ________, just do it. I have three great grandchildren now and if I can get a degree aged 73, so can you.

2 . I had to leave school at a young age because of my poor family. I decided to go back to college to ______ my dream at 42. Could I balance the ______ as a student, mom and wife? I managed to ______ enough money for my first semester though our budget was ______. But I had no idea how I would pay for anything beyond that. With a step of faith, I ______.

Studying with kids half my age, I had to ______ myself to learn new things. After the initial first weeks passed, however, a balance was ______ between my studying and living.

How to make ends meet at home was still my ______. But one day, a professor mentioned that grant money (助学金) was ______ to students like me. So I began the application process. ______, I received a call from my professor telling me that I was selected weeks later. I’d have to ______ some volunteer hours as required by the grant program, but the remainder of my college expenses would be ______. I hung up the phone with teary eyes. I couldn’t believe my dream was becoming a ______.

For another two years. I continued taking summer sessions. For the next eighteen years, I taught in a primary school. I told students my ______ of how I achieved my dream all my life.

If you’re working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be ______. The dream pulls you.

3 . This is the story of my college journey—from the very beginning to where I am today. It’s been an _______ experience so far, and I hope it can _______ others who are in the same situation.

My college journey began when I started to _______ schools (学院). It was scary, yet exciting at the same time because I had no idea what my _______ would look like. But with a little bit of research, I decided on several schools that _______ my interest. Once I was _______, it was time to start making choices. Through effort, I chose one school that offered the best _______ between my ability to pay and the good education I could get. With everything ready, I eagerly _______ my new life.

Once classes started, everything _______. It seemed like there were a million things going on at once! I tried my best to adapt to the ________ life. Step by step, I got into a ________ state and began to make friends along the way. The best part of being in college has surely been making new ________ with people from all over the world—people with different backgrounds but ________ interests in learning—this is ________ something special!

Overall, being in college has been unbelievable! Even though my college journey is still ongoing—I’m looking forward to seeing where this path ________ me next.

7 . The small college, McPherson College in Kansas, offers its students the chance to work with old cars that might one day sell for nearly $1 million. It has a study _________ in automotive restoration, teaching students who are _______ in repairing cars a little bit of engineering, history, business, communication and art. It is the only one in the country with a four-year bachelor’s _________ in automotive restoration.

The program _________ in 1976 when a local businessman gave the school part of his classic car _________. At the time, he could not find people who could work on old cars.

In 1988, the college considered _________ the program due to lack of funds. But American comedian Jay Leno, who owned many classic cars, _________ their mind when he gave some _________ to the program.

For the last six years, McPherson College’s students have been _________ a 1953 old car. They are hoping to   ________ the car next summer in the famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance car show.

Michael Schneider, the president of McPherson College, said, “There’s an entire __________ around the classic car, and at the __________ of that industry is McPherson College.”

At a time when other colleges are __________ for students, McPherson College now has 18% more students today than five years ago.

He noted the restoration program __________ students to the college, but sometimes they decide to do __________ else when they get there.

8 . The first time I felt the impact of UCLA’s (加利福尼亚大学洛杉矶分校) diversity was during New Student Orientation (新生入学培训). At a brand-new campus, we are surrounded by _________. We really feel the social tension between the incoming (新来的) students, hoping to find friends in a strange environment.

_________ into a group of 10 students, we got our first chance to get to know one another. Our group sat in a kindergarten style to _________ what we’d just experienced. There were a few minutes of sparse (稀少的) conversation _________ the wall of awkwardness was _________ by a girl. She began _________ her own life. She explained that on one side, she was Filipino, and on the other, Mexican. She was not quite _________ in among Mexicans or Filipinos, feeling _________ about her place in the world. Sadly bowing her head, she stopped saying. It seemed that she was describing my _________. As a matter of fact, my parents also came from __________ countries. So I told her that I totally understood how she __________.

This year, UCLA admitted one of its most diverse groups of students yet, which means freshmen will __________ things like mine more than ever before. The diversity leads to more __________ for personal growth.

Compared to other universities, those chances are what really make being a freshman special. But to __________ from the university’s diversity, students should seek good solutions. They could __________ stories, learn from friends and compare one another’s lives in the process of studying.

9 . I lived in a very poor district of Arusha, Tanzania. My family couldn’t ________ me to study abroad. However, continuing my ________ in China was my dream. I couldn’t wait to travel on this country and create new ________. I applied to 12 universities but only got a few ________ letters.

I finally got accepted by a university in Shanghai. After the excitement in the beginning, I was ________ in great difficulties. I couldn’t understand what my teachers and schoolmates said. ________ still, I realized I could hardly finish one year without a scholarship (奖学金). I had to work hard and ________ every chance to practice my Chinese. ________, I had to save every coin I could.

I ________ in my class after the first term. The university awarded me a huge scholarship and I was filled with _____. I could financially complete my course in the university. I ________ the chance because I managed it with my own efforts. Four years later, when I spoke on the graduation ceremony, I was full of gratitude (感激) and       _____.

Life is not always easy. But what really matters is to keep positive when we are ________ by difficulties. Some may run away or be beaten while some are able to ________ the difficulties. I believe as long as we ________ long enough, all our dreams are within reach, no matter how big or crazy they might seem.