9 million students give the last shot as China's gaokao kicks off

Students hold up a banner to show their support for peers about to sit the National College Entrance Exam, commonly known as gaokao, at the High School Affiliated to Renmin University in Beijing, on June 7, 2016. About 9.4 million high school graduates registered for this year's exam, which will last two days, through to June 8. Wrapping up the high school days, the two-day test is considered the most important exam and a defining moment for most Chinese students. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]