夏说英文晨读：小学一二年级取消纸笔考试 0902

Beijing on Monday cancelled written exams for six- and seven-year-olds, as part of wide-ranging education reforms aimed at relieving pressure on pupils and parents in China's hyper-competitive school system.
China's exam-oriented system previously required students to take exams from first grade onwards, culminating in the feared university entrance exam at age 18 known as the gaokao, where a single score can determine a child's life trajectory.

"Too frequent exams...which cause students to be overburdened and under huge exam pressure," have been axed by the Ministry of Education, according to new guidelines released Monday.

▍语言点

1. wide-ranging adj. 广泛的
· wide-ranging interests 广泛的兴趣爱好
2. relieve pressure 缓解压力
· Young people nowadays are looking for ways to relieve the pressure of modern life.
现在的年轻人都在寻找缓解现代生活压力的方法。
3. hyper-competitive adj. 竞争过于激烈的
· 前缀hyper-above(超出，高于)，competitive 竞争的
· hyperactive adj. 过分活跃的
· hypersensitive adj. 过于敏感的
· hyper /ˈhaɪpər/ adj. 亢奋的(very excited or active)
· I get hyper when I drink too much coffee.
我喝太多咖啡就亢奋。

4. exam-oriented adj. 以考试为导向的
· oriented adj. 以……为导向的，重视……的(n. orient)
· money-oriented adj. 以金钱为导向的
5. culminate /ˈkʌlməneɪt/ v. 以……结束(end with)
· The gala culminated in a firework display.
晚会以大放烟火告终。
6. life trajectory 人生轨迹

7. overburdened adj. 负担过重的
8. under huge pressure 承受巨大压力
9. axe /æks/ v. 精简，大量削减(常用被动be axed) n. 斧子