9.42 million students sit national college entrance exam

About 9.42 million Chinese high school graduates, slightly less than the population of Sweden, will sit for the national college entrance examination, known as Gaokao, which kicks off Sunday.

大约942万高中毕业生将要参加本周日的国家高等大学入学考试，即所谓的“高考”，这一人数仅略小于瑞典全国人口。

The number has marked a tiny increase from that in 2014, which stood at 9.39 million, according to statistics from the Ministry of Education.

教育部公布数据显示，今年人数比去年939万略有增加。

The Chinese government has motivated staff nationwide to escort the exam. Police were sent to roads and exam sites for students’ security and drivers have been told not to whistle while passing schools and should give way to cars transporting examinee or test papers.

中国政府已动员全国工作人员为高考护航。警察派往道路和考点以确保考生安全，司机路过学校时禁止鸣笛并向运送考生和试卷车辆让路。

The number of students taking what is generally considered the single most important test any Chinese person can take, has fallen for five straight years since 2009. It peaked at 10.5 million in 2008.

一般说来，高考是中国人要参加的最重要的考试，但是自2009年来，五年间考生人数呈下降趋势，2008年人数最高，达1050万。

The amount of examinees stopped declining in 2014, but the modest recovery has not brought relief to the looming survival crisis, according to a 2015 report on Chinese university admissions released by China Education online Tuesday.

然而，周二中国教育在线公布的一份2015年中国大学招生报告显示，2014年考生人数开始回转，但这一微弱复苏并未缓解即将到来的高考生存危机。

Universities across China have been facing difficulties meeting recruitment quotas in recent years.

近年来，中国大学正面临招生配额问题。

Under China’s university recruitment system, the central authorities set quotas for university enrollment across provinces and major cities.

在中国大学招生制度下，中央政府为各省和主要城市设置了入学份额。

It is the same in Beijing, which is generally considered to have the best universities in China.

北京也是这样，人们通常认为中国最好的学校都在北京。

The quotas for Beijing students who take the Gaokao was cut to 52,200 in 2014, down 30 percent from 76,700 in 2008.

2014年北京高考考生配额降至52200，与2008年的76700相比，降了30%。

Unfortunately, the move did not ease vacancies in university recruitment.

不幸的是，这一举动并未缓解大学招生空缺。

Statistics show second-class universities or colleges failed to get full enrollment in Beijing for four straight years, since 2010. Chinese universities are classified on different levels based on their overall strength.

数据显示，自2010年连续四年，一些二流学校在北京并未招满学生。中国大学基于综合实力被划分为不同等级。

"Chinese universities are undergoing a serious survival crisis, " said Chen Zhiwen, editor in chief of China Education online.

“中国高校正在经历严重的生存危机。”中国教育在线主编陈志文说道。

完成阅读

来源:ChinaDaily官网爱语吧作者:刘佳