High school seniors sitting the National College Entrance
Examination from today are being given every bit of special
treatment where possible, from free rides to their test centers to
noise restrictions in their neighborhoods.
A total of 8.67 million?students are sitting this year's
the college entrance examinations, an unprecedented increase of
1.44?million?from last year. Female students make up 44.5
percent of the total.
In South China's Guangdong
Province, for example, traffic around 38 of the 54 exam centers
is being diverted, and eight bus stops near the exam centers will
be temporarily relocated 30 minutes before and during the "big
exam" to minimize noise.
Quiet zones have also been set up within 500 meters of the
sites. That means no street hawkers. No loud equipment at catering
and entertainment places during the English listening comprehension
test. And in a country where economic growth is king, no
construction noise throughout the day. At night, the construction
had better be a key project if it's loud enough to bother sleep
time.
And there's a 24-hour hotline in case a student has a
complaint.
The provincial meteorological office has even set up a team to
inform related government agencies and the public of weather
developments in this subtropical province that is prone to
thunderstorms.
In Foshan, students can breathe their tensions by inhaling
oxygen at nearby hospitals.
At the other end of the country, Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang
Province in the northeast, began its first observance of "quiet
days."
Honking vehicle horns, loudspeakers used for commercial purposes
and entertainment-related noise are prohibited for the time being,
said An Jianzhi of the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.
210 police officers in 84 patrol cars will patrol the streets
around the 42 examination sites.
"In case of an emergency, students can ask them for help," An
said.
Huang Lunhui, manager of the Power Hotel, said that his hotel is
providing "hourly rooms" to the students for 60 yuan (US$7.20) an
hour if they wish to take a mid-day break. Huang expects that many
rooms will be rented out because it was the parents who had
inquired after them.
In Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang
Province, boats are forbidden to use their horns, and a special
force patrols the main 10-kilometer stretch of the Beijing-Hangzhou
Grand Canal, which usually handles 300 to 400 cargo boats a day.
From 10 PM to 6 AM, the canal in and around urban areas will be
closed to ensure that students sleep better, said Chen Jiasheng, a
senior officer with the Hangzhou Port and Shipping Administration
Bureau.
And in Beijing, at least 324 volunteers will transport students
to exam centers. This is part of a program sponsored jointly by
sina.com.cn, China National Radio and the Beijing Evening
News.
"I just feel sorry for the students taking part in the entrance
exam because of the heavy pressure, so I wanted to try to help
them," said Zhu Di, one volunteer driver.
Volunteer drivers have a yellow logo pasted on their cars.
Students may stop them, show their exam certificates and ride for
free.
"Last year, there were reports saying students were deprived of
examination qualifications because of transport difficulties," said
Liang Ying, a sina.com.cn vice-director. "So we started the idea of
volunteer rides this year."
Free rides are also available in Changsha, capital of Central
China's Hunan
Province, which has been running the program for the last four
years.
(China Daily June 7, 2005)
