Students take part in games during a break from preparing for next month's national college entrance exam. Their school, No 18 Middle School in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, organized the games on June 4 to relieve pressure from studying for the high-stakes examinations. WANG ZHENG/FOR CHINA DAILY

High school graduates attend a gaokao rally at Sanjiang High School, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. GONG PUKANG/FOR CHINA DAILY

A student encourages himself ahead of the exam in Huaian, Jiangsu province. ZHAO QIRUI/FOR CHINA DAILY

Students prepare for the gaokao at a high school in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, on June 9. WANG CHUN/FOR CHINA DAILY

Students take a physical education course at Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to Shanghai International Studies University on June 8. Gao Erqiang/China Daily

Students take a physical education course at Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to Shanghai International Studies University on June 8. Gao Erqiang/China Daily

Students take a physical education course at Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to Shanghai International Studies University on June 8. Gao Erqiang/China Daily