By Yan Jie and Shi Jing (China Daily)
BEIJING/SHANGHAI - No annoying drills. Stop the crane. Take a bus instead of driving your car - unless you are taking a student to the national College Entrance Exam.
There is no shortage of posters bearing such prohibitions around Beijing in the run-up to the two-day exam period, when high school graduates will compete for places at the country's universities.
During China's top test, which starts on Monday, the students are exempt from the nuisances of noise, traffic jams and any other possible disturbances at this crucial moment in their lives.
Cities across China have adopted the practice of creating a friendly environment for the students to sit the examination. This year is no exception, even though the odds of receiving a higher education are more favorable than ever before.
In the examination process, more than 9.57 million Chinese students will compete against each other for 6.57 million places at the country's universities or colleges, according to the Ministry of Education.
With enrollments at 68.7 percent, a 7 percent increase on last year, and a 650,000 drop in the number of students registering to take the entrance exam, the students have a greater opportunity of success than in past years.
However, the news may do little to ease examination nerves on the part of either the teenagers or their parents, as many of them are hoping to attend elite institutions.
"I am worried the exam will be too difficult," said Cui Shijie, a student from a high school affiliated with Fudan University, which is considered to be one of the best high schools in Shanghai.
