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Special care slated for 'big exam' sitters
By Bao Baozu (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-06-07 00:28 The high school seniors taking the National
College Entrance Examination from today are receiving every comfort and
consideration they can get from communities nationwide -- whether it's rides to
the testing sites or noise restrictions.
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| Students show their ID cards used for the exam
in a school in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region June 6, 2005.
[newsphoto] | A total number of 7,230,000
students are attending the college entrance examination, witnessing an
unprecedented increase of 1,100,000 over last year. Female students take up 44.5
per cent of the total.
In South China's Guangdong Province, for example, traffic around 38 of the 54
exam sites will be detoured, and eight bus stops will be temporarily relocated
30 minutes before and during the exam to minimize noise.
Quiet zones are set up within 500 metres of the sites. That means no street
hawkers. No loud equipment at catering and entertainment places during the
English listening test. And in a country where economic growth is usually 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
climate prone to thunderstorms.
In Shenzhen, the committee to address exam-related emergency cases is led by
a vice-mayor. In Foshan, students ease tension by going to hospitals to inhale
oxygen.
At the other end of the country, Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province in
the northeast, began its first observance of "quiet days."
Two girls chat
before they enter to take this year's college entrance examination in
Nanjing, Jiangsu Province June 7, 2005.
[newsphoto] | Honking vehicle horns, loudspeakers for commercial purposes and entertainment
noise all are prohibited, said An Jianzhi of the Municipal Environmental
Protection Bureau. And 210 police officers in 84 patrol cars will patrol outside
the 42 examination sites.
"In case of emergency, any exam students can seek help from them," An said.
Huang Lunhui, manager of the Power Hotel, said that his hotel is providing
the "hourly rooms" to the students for 60 yuan (US$7.20) an hour to have a good
noontime rest. No reservations had been made as of yesterday afternoon, but
Huang expected many rooms would be rented because many parents had inquired
after them.
In Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province, all boats are
forbidden to use their horns, and a special force patrols the main 10-kilometre
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 urban areas is closed,
ensuring students a quieter environment for sleeping, 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 the
testing sites in a programme sponsored jointly by Sina.com.cn, China National
Radio and the Beijing Evening News.
"I just felt 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.
Drivers got a yellow logo to be 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."
This is the fourth year Changsha, capital of Central China's Hunan Province,
has been doing the same.
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