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Lessen the burden of education

教育减负

(jiàoyù jiǎnfù) 

A: My cousin started middle school this year. She really came in at the right time. In order to lessen the burden of education, the country will not allow schools to have extra classes, or divide classrooms by ability.

我表妹今年上初中,真是赶上好时候了。为了教育减负,国家不让学校补课,分快慢班。

(wǒ biǎomèi jīnnián shànɡ chūzhōnɡ, zhēnshì ɡǎnshànɡ hǎoshíhòule. wéile jiàoyù jiǎnfù, ɡuójiā bùrànɡ xuéxiào bǔkè, fēn kuàimànbān.) 

B: It sounds awesome to me. But competition right now is still really fierce. I'm sure parents must be crazy worried and are looking for other ways for their children to have extra classes.

听上去很棒啊。可是现在竞争还是这么激烈。家长肯定都急疯了,想尽办法找别的渠道给孩子补课吧。

(tīnɡshànɡqù hěnbànɡa. kěshì xiànzài jìnɡzhēnɡ háishì zhème jīliè. jiāzhǎnɡ kěndìnɡ dōu jífēnɡle, xiǎnɡjìn bànfǎ zhǎobiéde qúdào ɡěi háizi bǔkèba.)

A: Yup. I feel what really need to be reduced are those unnecessarily hard examinations and mechanical test-taking.That is the real burden lessening. Right?

也是,我觉得真正需要减的是过难的考试和机械应试。那才叫真正的减负。是吧？

(yěshì, wǒjuédé zhēnzhènɡ xūyào jiǎn de shì ɡuònánde kǎoshì hé jīxièyīnɡshì. nà cáijiào zhēnzhènɡde jiǎnfù. shìbā?)

Illustration: Xia Qing/GT