You are going to read a magazine article about four young people who took a gap year, a year off before going to university or starting work. Choose from the people (A–D). The people may be chosen more than once.

A Richard Olmos The time between leaving school and starting university seemed ideal for seeing the world. After thirteen years at school, and having spent that time living with my family, I felt it was time to do something different. I wanted to link my gap year with project activities and gain new skills. I knew there would be real benefits in doing it, provided I used the time to maximum advantage. I spent four months on a teaching project in Ghana before travelling through Africa. Working with people who came from such a different world to me really opened my mind. When I started my degree back home, I could tell who had been on a gap year and who hadn't. Those who had were very obviously more mature. My advice to others is that at the end of their time away they should evaluate what they have learnt and mention it when writing to prospective employers. You don't want your good work to be dismissed as simply a 'holiday'.

B John Saffron Believe it or not, it is possible to choose to spend a gap year focusing on sports. I live in London and I'm mad about football, so when I read in a magazine about a new gap year scheme that the Arsenal football club was organising, I jumped at the chance of applying. Basically, I spent four months working with children who were underperforming in maths and IT in a London school, encouraging them to get their work done by giving them a football session in the afternoons. At the same time, I was given the opportunity of taking a course in coaching. Then I spent some time doing the same thing in a school in Australia. The thing is, you don't have to be brilliant at the sport. It is more important to have enthusiasm and good communication skills - you need to show you have them when they interview you. The coaching certificate I got can lead to a future job, I've made good friends and, most importantly, I've helped to make some kids happier.

C Louisa Powell When you go on a gap year, you often have to cover your own expenses, you are a self-funding volunteer, and as I am a poor student, I had to divide my gap year into two blocks - a 'saving' block then an 'experiencing' block. As soon as my exams were over, I frantically applied for jobs and more jobs. As well as working in an office, I squeezed in an extra few hours working in a café to save up for my gap year. I then spent six months working on one of South Africa's wildlife conservation projects. From my gap year I learnt that I couldn't cook, and that I was completely ignorant about anything that wasn't 'western'. Furthermore, I came to realise that I wasn't nearly as clever as I thought I was. Before going on the gap year, I'd decided I wanted to do engineering at university. But back from Africa, I decided that that wasn't what I wanted after all, and I'm now on a geography course.

D Frank Holler I was attracted to a gap year abroad by a talk given in my school by a representative from an organisation that helps students find their ideal placement. She said it was a good idea to spend a minimum of six months in one place. Another important thing she stressed was the need to know exactly how you are going to write up all your activities in a gap year. She suggested keeping a journal, which I did. I needed to raise funds for my gap year, and I did it by asking lots of people for small donations. I spent my gap year working as a language assistant in English language classes in Japan. I was given free accommodation, all meals, and some pocket money. I went to some ordinary classes to improve my Japanese and to get to know other students. It was a great way to experience a different culture, and the best way to learn Japanese. After my gap year, everyone said I seemed more worldly. But I'd recommend going with somebody else, as it can be quite isolating if you're on your own.