高考 · The College Entrance Exam

每年měi nián六月初,liù yuè chū中国Zhōngguó有yǒu上千万shàng qiān wàn的de学生xuéshēng走进zǒu jìn同一个tóng yí ge考场。kǎochǎng

In early June each year, tens of millions of Chinese students walk into the same examination hall.

这场zhè chǎng考试kǎoshì叫jiào高考,gāokǎo是shì决定juédìng他们tāmen能néng上shàng哪所nǎ suǒ大学dàxué的de关键。guānjiàn

This exam is called the gaokao, and it decides which university they can attend.

对duì很多hěn duō家庭jiātíng来说,lái shuō高考gāokǎo几乎jīhū是shì一年中yì nián zhōng最zuì重要zhòngyào的de日子。rìzi

For many families, the gaokao is almost the most important day of the year.

考试前kǎoshì qián的de那个月,nà ge yuè整个zhěnggè社会shèhuì都会dōu huì为wèi考生kǎoshēng让路。ràng lù

In the month before the exam, the whole society makes way for the candidates.

学校xuéxiào附近fùjìn的de工地gōngdì必须bìxū停工,tíng gōng以免yǐmiǎn影响yǐngxiǎng学生xuéshēng休息。xiūxi

Construction sites near schools must halt work so students' rest is not disturbed.

交通警察jiāotōng jǐngchá会huì专门zhuānmén为wèi送考sòng kǎo的de车辆chēliàng开路。kāi lù

Traffic police clear the way specially for vehicles carrying students to the exam.

有的yǒu de城市chéngshì甚至shènzhì规定,guīdìng考试期间kǎoshì qījiān不许bùxǔ按àn喇叭。lǎba

Some cities even rule that horns may not be sounded during the exam period.

家长jiāzhǎng站zhàn在zài考场kǎochǎng外面,wàimiàn一站yí zhàn就是jiùshì三个sān ge小时。xiǎoshí

Parents stand outside the exam hall, and once they start they stand for three hours.

他们tāmen不敢bù gǎn走远,zǒu yuǎn怕pà孩子háizi出来chūlái的时候de shíhou找不到zhǎo bú dào人。rén

They dare not walk far, afraid their child will not find them coming out.

有人yǒu rén拿着ná zhe水,shuǐ有人yǒu rén拿着ná zhe伞,sǎn更多gèng duō的人de rén只是zhǐshì沉默地chénmò de等着。děng zhe

Some hold water, some hold umbrellas, and more of them simply wait in silence.

支持zhīchí高考gāokǎo的人de rén认为,rènwéi它tā给gěi了le普通pǔtōng家庭jiātíng一条yì tiáo公平gōngpíng的de路。lù

Those who support the gaokao believe it gives ordinary families a fair road.

无论wúlùn你nǐ出生chūshēng在zài城市chéngshì还是háishi农村,nóngcūn分数fēnshù面前miànqián人人rénrén平等。píngděng

Whether you are born in the city or the countryside, before a score everyone is equal.

反对fǎnduì的人de rén则zé说,shuō一次yí cì考试kǎoshì不应该bù yīnggāi决定juédìng一个人yí ge rén的de一生。yìshēng

Opponents say that a single exam should not decide a person's whole life.

他们tāmen担心dānxīn学生xuéshēng只zhǐ学会xuéhuì了le考试,kǎoshì却què没méi学会xuéhuì思考。sīkǎo

They worry that students only learn to take exams, without learning to think.

这两种zhè liǎng zhǒng看法kànfǎ都dōu有道理,yǒu dàolǐ争论zhēnglùn了le几十年jǐshí nián也yě没有méiyǒu结果。jiéguǒ

Both views have their reasons, and decades of argument have settled nothing.

但dàn有一点yǒu yì diǎn大家dàjiā都dōu同意:tóngyì那个nà ge夏天,xiàtiān谁shéi也yě不会bú huì忘记。wàngjì

But on one point everyone agrees: nobody ever forgets that summer.