What does the author mean when she says, “The price of not reading proficiently

What does the author mean when she says, “The price of not reading
proficiently comes hard and fast and will often leave those who struggle
with a payment too heavy to ever pay back.” ? *

A. She doesn't know what it's like to be illiterate.
B. Being illiterate has consequences sometimes too great to fix.
C. Reading is not a necessary skill to be successful in life.
D. Learning to read in later years can often prove to be expensive.