The National College Entrance Exams have taken place across China. This year's exam has triggered more discussion on composition writing tests.

Let's take a closer look at what the media has been saying about this.

An article in the Beijing News zooms into the topic of composition writing. The writing exams in six provinces focused on the earthquake this year. Some researchers say it is rare for so many examiners to ask students to write about the year's big news story. Such topics are easy for students to guess and prepare for, which is why examiners normally chose more offbeat subjects. But this year, the rules seem to have changed.

A writer from the Beijing Youth Daily also observed writing compositions in college entrance exams across the country were quake-related. This is the first time such writing topics confronted a major happening that took place in the same year. Some felt it would be easy for students to get high grades since they may have practiced writing on the same topic beforehand. However, the writer said the topic gives students a chance to write about their understanding of the tragedy and the effect it has had on them.

An article in the Guangzhou Daily says writing tests of college entrance exams should have different topics. Some topics this year were more a complicated play on words rather than a realistic, practical theme. Composition topics should not be burdened with multiple meanings. They shouldn't be used as a tool to test the nation's intellectual level, but to reveal a student's writing ability. Word games in writing tests are unnecessary. It would be good to start overhauling college entrance exams from the writing tests, allowing them to focus more on contemporary issues.