2011年高考最轰动的消息莫过于南科大45名学子拒考一事。

       今年3月，筹建多时但仍未获招生资格的南方科技大学宣布“自授文凭”，并绕过高考招生体系，自主招收首批45名学生进入该校学习。5月27日，教育部表示教革首先要坚持依法办学，遵循国家基本的教育制度。5月底，南科大45名学生在网上发表公开信，拒绝参加高考，引起舆论关注，教育专家们也纷纷对此发表看法。

       "Independent recruitment is one of the major reforms of the university. If the students take part in the college entrance exam, the efforts to modify the current education system will be destroyed," said Zhang Ming, a professor of the Renmin University of China and a famous educational columnist.

—— Excerpt from Students at reform university refuse to take test

       自主招生（independent recruitment）给予高校一定比例的自主权，可以绕过分数真正地选择“个性”学生。曾经闹得沸沸扬扬的北京大学“校长推荐制”（nominations from their headmasters）也是自主招生政策的一种尝试。

       高考（National College Entrance Examination）是全球规模最大的标准化考试（standardized test）。从上世纪80年代“千军万马挤独木桥”的景象，到上世纪90年代的扩招（expanding the enrollment of students）热潮，再到新世纪教育改革（educational reform）的层层推进，高考制度也经历了一次又一次的蜕变。

       而如今，由于人口出生率下降等原因，高考生源（student pool）持续下降，部分高校将面临严峻的生存挑战。

       Colleges and universities across China are facing a challenge due to declining student numbers, according to a new study by China Education Online, reported by Xinhua.

—— Excerpt from Universities hit by falling rolls

       今年全国参加高考的考生人数达到933万人，比去年减少15%。录取率（admission rate）预计将达72.3%。

       This year, about 9.33 million students will take the exam in China, with a 15 percent decrease compared with last year. The admission rate is reported to be 72.3 percent.

（来源：中国网学英语频道）