Broadcasting Time: 2006-05-26

Hello and welcome to this edition of Life in China. I'm Shanshan. Personally I would say today's show seems to have one theme running through it -- "precedents". First we will visit Fudan University in Shanghai, the renowned institution of higher education which has recently added more to its distinction by accepting 300 senior high graduates even though they did not take part in the national general college entrance examination. The new assessment tool used by the school is an interview focusing not only on academic ability but also the student's personality. Then in our next story we will try to talk with a hearing-impaired person with the help of a Chinese sign language recognition system. And finally we will meet a gutsy lady, who quit her dazzling fashion career to form an intimate relationship with tigers. For all this, stay tuned to Life in China.

Not long ago, even though they did not take part in the national general college entrance examination, 300 graduates from senior high schools in Shanghai were accepted by renowned Fudan University after successfully completing an oral examination. This story is quite a hot topic, setting a new precedent in Chinese education. Let's follow our reporter Shen Ting to take a closer look at this special new exam.

Zhang Moran was a student in her third year at a senior high school in Shanghai. One of the over 1,000 students who took the interview entrance examination administered by Fudan University, she succeeded in gaining admittance. In talking about the interview experience, Zhang Moran said that, compared with the traditional written examination, the new form pays more attention to the applicant as a whole.

"In my mind, if someone gets the highest score on the written examination, it doesn't mean they are of the highest quality comprehensively. I believe that an interview, or say oral examination, is quite necessary. It can test whether you are able to communicate your ideas effectively, so that others can both understand and accept you and your opinions. This is very important skill in today's society, and can be ascertained by a lengthy conversation."