【大讨论】高考又来了！！！！

t's that time of year again here in China. The streets empty, millions of children disappear and even big cities like Beijing turn quiet for a weekend. We are of course talking about the National Higher Education Entrance Examination, known simply as the gaokao. Almost nine and a half million students will begin their trial this Sunday. Like the preparation for it, the test is long and grueling, but the rewards can be great. For many, a good result is seen as the main ticket a better life. At the same time, its imperfections and the sheer mass of pressure it brings to these students raises questions. So, how important is it really? Can it be improved and reformed? And what should it and education's role(s) in society be? These questions and more on this edition of "Today" where we talk about China's gaokao.