腾飞中国 | ‘Gaokao’ writes new chapter in China’s education

（1978年春，北京大学迎来恢复高考后录取的第一批新生。新华社资料图）

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对于中国学生来说，普通高等学校招生全国统一考试，即高考，一直是竞争最激烈的考试。然而，在40多年前的1977年，高考对于年轻人更具改变命运的意义。据新华社报道，经历了十年的“文化大革命”之后，中国在那一年恢复了高考。

China’s college entrance examination, known as gaokao, has been the most competitive test for Chinese students. However, it was even more life-changing for youth more than 40 years ago in 1977. That year, China resumed (恢复) this exam after the ten-year-long “cultural revolution”, Xinhua News Agency reported. 

据中国国际广播电台报道，当年有超过570万年龄在15-36岁之间的国人参加了高考。这些人中包括高中毕业生、农民以及工厂工人。

More than 5.7 million Chinese people aged from 15 to 36 sat the exam that year, according to CRI. They included high school graduates, farmers and factory workers. 

高考改变了很多人的命运，他们之后在不同领域取得了不俗成就。已故小说家王小波和著名导演张艺谋都在那个年代参加了高考。他们随后进入大学，留下了自己的印记。

Gaokao changed the lives of many who went on to achieve greatness in different fields. Late novelist Wang Xiaobo and renowned (著名的) director Zhang Yimou took part in the exam around that time. They then entered universities and made their mark.

自那之后，随着教育系统正常化，高考在多个方面促进了中国教育的发展与开放。据新华社报道，如今在40年后，高考依然在那些来自贫困、偏远地区的学生改变人生命运时发挥重要作用。

Since then, with the education system normalized, gaokao has evolved (发展), and opened up China’s education in a number of ways. Now, over 40 years later, the fierce (激烈的) but fair competition still plays an important role in helping students from poor, rural areas to change their lives, according to Xinhua.   

本文英文音频由我报外籍编辑 Daniel Daugherty朗读