Core Viewpoint - The 2025 college entrance examination (Gaokao) has sparked widespread debate regarding its difficulty, with many students and parents claiming the exam is too challenging, while data shows an increase in high scores, raising questions about the actual difficulty of the exam [1][5]. Group 1: Exam Difficulty and Public Perception - There is a growing criticism that the exam questions are becoming increasingly difficult and that there is a disconnect between what is taught in schools and what is tested [3][4]. - Some experts argue that the perceived difficulty may stem from students' and parents' inability to adapt to changes in exam formats and question types, suggesting that the overall difficulty of the exam has actually decreased in recent years [6][11]. - The distribution of scores has shifted, with a notable increase in high-scoring students, indicating that the exam may not be as difficult as perceived [5][12]. Group 2: Educational Implications - The debate over exam difficulty raises concerns about the impact on educational equity, as parents may turn to private tutoring to cope with perceived challenges, potentially widening the gap in educational access [3][11]. - There is a warning that lowering the exam's difficulty in response to public outcry could lead to a decline in the quality of education, similar to historical issues faced in the U.S. regarding math education standards [7][11]. - The need for a balance between maintaining rigorous standards and ensuring fairness in the examination process is emphasized, as the current system may not adequately differentiate between students' abilities [12][23]. Group 3: Subject-Specific Concerns - Complaints about the difficulty of specific subjects, such as mathematics and Chinese literature, have been prevalent, yet educators argue that the expectations are consistent with what students should be able to achieve at their level [8][10]. - The emphasis on foundational knowledge and critical thinking in mathematics is seen as a positive shift, pushing students towards deeper understanding rather than rote memorization [16][23]. - In the Chinese language section, particularly in essay writing, the challenge lies in creating prompts that allow for both differentiation among students and opportunities for all to express their ideas effectively [19][22].