中国高考是世界上最难的吗

For two days in early June every year China comes to a standstill as high school students who are about to graduate take their college entrance exams. Literally the “higher examination” the gaokao is a national event on a par with a public holiday but much less fun.

每年六月上旬，在高考的两天，中国停止一切运作。高考从字面意思上看，就是高等考试，这是全国大事，有两天假期，却并不轻松愉快。

Construction work is halted near examination halls so as not to disturb the students and traffic is diverted. Ambulances are on call outside in case of nervous collapses and police cars patrol to keep the streets quiet.

工地停止施工以防噪声影响考试，交通改道，救护车在校外随时待命，以防有紧张崩溃的学生，警车在路面巡逻，保证街道安静。

Radio talkshow hosts discuss the format and questions in painstaking detail and when the results come out the top scorers are feted nationally.

电台主持人们全方位的讨论出题形式和具体题目。分数出来后，状元们享誉全国。高分还是低分，决定着你人生的机遇与潜力。

A high or low mark determines life opportunities and earning potential. That score is the most important number of any Chinese child’s life the culmination of years of schooling memorisation and constant stress.

十二年的寒窗苦读，经年累月的高压学习，都是为了这一天。高考分数，是每个中国孩子生命中最重的数字。（每个经历过高考的都感同身受吧，特别是高考大省的。。）