Three stories - for the Entrance Exams happening now in China

The Chinese examination for the entrance of universities and colleges is almost a once-for-all solution for the youngsters who want to change their fates.  I benefited a lot after I had taken the exam.  Without it, today I may be staying in a remote village, working on a palm of land, struggling to fill my stomach.  Such fate was once a endless loop as the following story tells.  Once a outsider came to a shepherd kid in a remote place,

'Why do shepherd the sheep?'

'To raise money.' the kid answered.

'What is the use of the money?'

'To marry a wife.'

'Then?'

'To have a baby.'

'And the baby?'

'To shepherd sheep.'

Those conversations are much more fun to be expressed in Chinese.  In my home village, people usually looped on cottages for their sons and their wives.

At my time, not everybody realized how important such exam is.  I should thank wholeheartedly for my parents' vision and courage then.  Though they had not received much education themselves, they had spared almost every penny for me and my sisters' education.

Education not only drives away the stupidity, it but also sets up a network of the people who are receiving it together.  Around 100 years ago, when modern education systems were first introduced to China, local people also doubted them.  But there were also people who have visions and courage like my parents, including a wealthy businessman.  I don't know if this story had a happy ending.  The son of the businessman was however not clever enough.  After several months, the principle asked the man,

'I am sorry to tell you that your son really can't keep up with the rest.  I think you'd better take him home.'

'I don't care whether he can keep it up or not, neither my money.  I only care if he is now studying together with his fellows.'

I guess the son's education was carried on.

I have a third story to wind up this piece.  Everybody realized the importance of this admission exam nowadays.  But some parents are exaggerating it too much.

This year, a student's parents booked a hotel near the examination site to ease the student's anxiety.  Unfortunately, the hotel was maybe so comfortable, that he overslept and missed the exam.  The family was very angry.  They sued the hotel for not have woken up the student in time.  The court was set up soon after the address.  The student unfortunately overslept again on the court day.  Hence he missed the court also.  The case was then dismissed.