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Big money in China's college entrance exams
又是一年高考時 莘莘學子再擠獨木橋
China’s annual three-day national college entrance examination is just around the corner. Millions of Chinese students and their parents are busying preparing for the vital test that determines so much of the future.
"My daughter will attend the exam very soon. It’s said that some nourishment is good for the brain, so I want to buy some to help her improve the exam result. They are expensive. But I think it is worth spending on the exam," Shanghai resident Mrs Zhang said.
Most parents hold similar opinions as Mrs Zhang, despite no clear proof that the special nourishment is worth the cost. The pending exam has pushed up sales of nourishment products and it’s also boosted the business of hyperbaric oxygen chambers.
"The pressure of college entrance examination is big for me, so I prefer to relax here. When I take the oxygen, I can read books at the same time. I feel fresh after the process," said a student from Shanghai who uses hyperbaric oxygen chambers.
Doctors say that taking oxygen can ease students' tiredness but don’t think that all of them need to do so.
"We don’t recommend that ordinary students use the hyperbaric oxygen chambers except if they have some symptoms. The purpose of taking purer oxygen is to relax, not to increase the intelligence," said Dr. Niu Feng, associate chief physician at Jinshan Hospital.
Doctors say a light diet and good sleep should be enough for students before they take the exam. That also explains why hotels around the examination locations are almost completely booked.
"All rooms were booked last month. One or two were returned recently, but very few," a hotel worker said.
With travel times a consideration, most parents want their children to stay near to the exam location in order to have more rest during the two days of tests. In short, parents are willing to provide the best conditions to help their children's future.
How does that help contribute to the economy? The education ministry says nearly 9.4 million students will take the college entrance examination this year. That’s almost equal to the population of some European countries.
