今年1291万考生参加高考，在报道这场影响数亿人生活的事件时，外媒用了这个词：
China's Gao Kao is the mother of all exams. Take a look at the 2 most important days of a Chinese high schooler's life.
the mother of all
我们都知道有句谚语是这么说的“Failure is the mother of success（失败是成功之母）.” 那这里的意思是“中国高考是所有考试之母”吗？
有点不会翻硬翻的味道。
做固定搭配时，the mother of all sth表示“……中最极端的例子”，所以，在这个语境中，这么理解更合适一些“中国高考是所有考试中最难的考试”。
the mother of all sth带有一种强大的气场，听上去就让人紧张，外国人都懂高考在我们心中的地位。
补充一下，这里提到的“所有的考试”指全世界的考试，不仅仅局限于我们这里。
在最新世界最难考试排名中，高考高居榜首。
其他入选最难考试TOP10的有印度理工学院入学考试、印度公务员考试、英国门萨智商测试、美加硕博研究生考试、美加金融投资从业者专业资格认证考试、美国思科IT专家认证考试、印度工程研究生能力倾向测试、美国医师执照考试和美国加州律师资格考试。
考试所需时长、准备时间、通过率和报考人数可见下表。
1. Gaokao Exam in China
高考
This is one of the most challenging exams in the world, necessary for applicants who wish to pursue undergraduate courses in China. Students in their third and final year of high school take the Gaokao. Dates usually fall from June 7 to June 8 or 10. It lasts about nine hours over two to four days (depending on the province).
这是世界上最具挑战的考试之一，对中国希望攻读本科的考生来说是必要的。高三也是高中最后一年的学生参加高考。考试日期通常从6月7日到6月8日或10日。考试大概持续9个小时，在两到三天内考完（具体时间取决于省份）。
Less than 0.25% of students get the qualifying score for admission to some of China’s most elite colleges. In fact, due to the exam’s difficulty, some European and American universities have started accepting Gaokao marks.
不到0.25% 的学生获得进入中国最顶尖大学的录取分数。事实上，由于考试的难度，一些欧美大学已开始接受高考成绩。
But what makes the Gaokao exam so difficult? A student from China has a perfect answer to this question. Referring to the exam as something that “promises a bright future” to kids from low-income backgrounds by being the only way to gain admission to China's Ivy League.
但是，是什么让高考变得如此难呢？一位来自中国的学生对这个问题给出了完美的答案。他说高考是为低收入家庭的孩子“争取光明未来”的机会，是被中国顶尖高校录取的唯一途径。
“Imagine that you're a kid from the working class in China, and you want to move to the upper class by yourself, so your best shot is this exam. And you know there are 20 million students to take this exam, but only 150 thousand of them get to be admitted to China's Ivy League, which promises a bright future for those kids from poor families.
“想象一下，你是一个来自中国工人家庭的孩子，你想靠自己成为上层阶级，你最好的机会就是这次考试。有2000万学生参加这次考试，但只有15万人能被中国的顶尖高校录取，这些高校能让那些来自贫困家庭的孩子有一个光明的未来。
So everyone is really serious about this exam, or you will get bad grades and waste a year's time,” the Quora comment read.
所以每个人对这次考试都很认真，否则你会得到不好的成绩，浪费一年的时间。” Quora评论写道。
In such instances, the exam is especially challenging for high schoolers who desperately “need” to get a good Gaokao score.
在这种情况下，对于迫切“需要”获得高分的高中生来说，高考尤其具有挑战性。
印度理工学院入学考试
IIT JEE Exam also ranks among the top toughest exams in the world. IIT JEE is an engineering entrance exam in India through which NTA (National Testing Agency) examines admission to undergraduate engineering programs in Indian universities (IITs).
印度理工学院入学考试也是世界上最难的考试之一。印度理工学院入学考试是印度的一种工程专业入学考试，NTA通过该考试来考察印度理工学院（IITs）本科工程专业的入学情况。
The exam is divided into two parts, each taking three hours to complete. The exam measures skills in physics, chemistry, and math. It also tests comprehensive, reasoning, and analytical skills.
考试分为两部分，每部分需要三个小时才能完成。考试考查考生在物理、化学和数学方面的技能。它还考查考生综合、推理和分析技能。
In 2022, 155,538 candidates appeared on both JEE (Advanced) papers, and a total of 40,712 qualified. Acceptance rates are IITs are at about 1%. The numbers speak for themselves, and if you consider the vastness of the syllabus and the unpredictability of the questions, the exam becomes among the toughest in the world.
2022年，155,538名考生参加（高级）入学考试的两部分考试，共有40,712人合格。印度理工学院的录取率约为1%。数字不言自明，如果你从教学大纲的广泛性和问题的不可预测性考虑，这场考试将成为世界上最难的考试之一。
IIT-JEE is really important in India. “The demand for technology increases day by day,” a student wrote, while “the worth of IIT-JEE increases year by year,” the student added.
印度理工学院入学考试在印度非常重要。“对技术的需求与日俱增，”一名学生写道，而“印度理工学院入学考试的价值逐年增加，”这名学生补充道。
“Lots of people have done B-Tech in India from several private colleges, and you also heard that most of the engineers are jobless.” the student concluded in a Quora comment.
“很多人毕业于印度的私立大学获得科技学士学位，你也听说大多数工程师都失业了。” 这名学生在Quora评论中总结道。
With increased competition, the exam’s difficulty is also increasing yearly. Over 1.2 million candidates appear every year, for around 11,000 seats in 23 different IITs.
随着竞争的加剧，考试的难度也在逐年增加。每年有超过120万名考生报名，在印度理工学院23个不同专业中中争夺约11,000个名额。
印度公务员考试
The Indian Government conducts the UPSC examinations to fill vacant spots in departments like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other Central Services and posts.
为填补印度行政部门、外交部、警察局和其他中央服务部门职位的空缺，印度政府举行公务员考试。
The test begins with prelims, comprising two general-topic objective papers. Candidates that qualify appear for the other group of Mains examination, comprising seven personal papers.
考试从初试开始，包括两张一般主题的客观题试卷。合格的候选人参加另一组主要考试，主考有七张个人试卷。
Around 500,000 students take the prelims for less than 1,000 seats. The success rate ranges from 0.1% to 0.4%. Passing the second stage means you get to interview with a panel that will assess your personality, awareness, and reasoning.
大约500,000名考生参加招聘不到1,000个职位的初试。成功率从0.1%到0.4%不等。通过第二阶段考试意味着你可以与一个评估你个性、意识和推理能力的小组进行面试。
As for what makes the UPSC a tough exam, a student stated that individuals who are not particularly “studious” will find the exam’s vast syllabus difficult, adding that there’s a plethora of books needed to study for the exam.
至于是什么让印度公务员考试成为一场难度大的考试，一名学生表示，不是特别“好学”的人会发现考试庞大的教学大纲很难，并补充说，考试需要学习大量书籍。
Competition is also among the factors contributing to the exam's difficulty.
竞争也是增加考试难度的因素之一。
门萨智力测试
As an international organization, Mensa is available to everyone with authorized intelligence test results in the 98th percentile or higher. This means to become part of Mensa, you must initially score in the top 2% of test-takers in an objective, standardized IQ test.
作为一个国际组织，所有智力测试成绩在第98%或更高的人都可以参加门萨测试。这意味着要成为门萨的一员，你必须首先在客观、标准化的智商测试中进入前2%。
Mensa's minimum score is 130, according to an average test score of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.
门萨最低分数是130，根据平均测试分数100和标准差15。
The IQ test will analyze one's intelligence in areas like reasoning, problem-solving, and logic.
智力测试将分析一个人在推理、解决问题和逻辑等领域的智力。
So is getting into Mensa easy? Not really! Or, as someone in Quora puts it:“Is extending your arm and touching a standard-height ceiling easy? Sure, if you are tall. Is getting into Mensa easy? Super easy if your IQ is 132 or above.”
那么进入门萨容易吗？不见得！或者，正如Quora中某人所说：“伸出手臂触摸标准高度的天花板容易吗？当然，如果你很高的话。进入门萨容易吗？智商132以上的超级容易。”
(美国)研究生入学资格考试
Owned and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), GRE is among the world’s most difficult exams. The exam is administered both online and in person.
研究生入学资格考试由教育考试服务中心拥有和管理，是世界上最难的考试之一。考试是在线和面对面进行的。
As a standardized test, GRE measures the overall academic readiness of students who want to attend graduate school. As such, it is a requirement for admission to many graduate schools in the US, Canada, and a few other countries.
作为一项标准化考试，研究生入学资格考试衡量想攻读研究生的学生的整体学术准备情况。因此，它是美国、加拿大和其他一些国家许多研究生学院的入学要求。
The GRE is computer-based; however, paper-based exams are also available where online examinations are not possible. It comprises six sections, including analytical writing, verbal reasoning, mathematical reasoning, and a research section. Candidates can take the GRE once every 21 days, up to 5 times in 12 months.
研究生入学资格考试以电脑为基础；然而，在无法进行在线考试的地方，也可以进行纸质考试。研究生入学资格考试由六部分组成，包括分析写作、口头推理、数学推理和研究部分。考生可以每21天参加一次研究生入学资格考试，12个月内最多可参加5次。
What makes GRE particularly challenging is its more complex vocabulary and reading sections. Candidates are expected to have high reasoning skills to crack the sections.
使研究生入学资格考试特别具有挑战性的是它更复杂的词汇和阅读部分。考生需要具备较高的推理能力来完成试题。
注册金融分析师考试
A Chartered Financial Analyst is a professional designation given by the CFA institute. The aim is to measure the competence and integrity of financial analysts.
注册金融分析师是注册金融分析师研究所授予的专业称号。目的是衡量金融分析师的能力和诚信。
To get this designation, candidates must pass three levels of exams covering areas such as accounting, economics, ethics, money management, and security analysis.
要获得这一称号，候选人必须通过三个级别的考试，涵盖会计、经济、道德、资金管理和安全分析等领域。
According to the Wall Street Journal, the CFA exam is the most difficult exam in the world, with less than 1/5th of candidates clearing it, after repeated attempts, on a yearly basis.
据《华尔街日报》报道，注册金融分析师考试是世界上最难的考试，经过反复尝试，每年只有不到五分之一的考生通过考试。
To register, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree or be enrolled in the last year of an undergraduate program. Alternatively, completing 4,000 hours of professional work experience can also be a basis for qualification. A combination of professional work experience and higher education is also possible.
要参加注册金融分析师考试，考生必须拥有学士学位或在本科的最后一年报名。或者，获得4000小时的专业工作经验也可以作为参加考试资格的基础。专业工作经验和高等教育的结合也是可能的。
思科认证互联网专家考试
CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) is a technical certification offered by Cisco Systems to networking professionals.
思科认证互联网专家是思科公司向网络专业人士提供的技术认证。
The test is administered in two stages. Candidates must first pass a two-hour written exam to proceed to an eight-hour lab exam. The areas covered include configuration, troubleshooting, and integration.
考试分两阶段进行。考生必须先通过两小时的笔试，然后才能进行八小时的实验室考试。涵盖领域包括配置、故障排除和系统集成。
Globally, there are only around 55,000 certified individuals. About 8,000 candidates take the CCIE lab exam annually. According to Cisco, the average pass rate of the CCIE exam is 26%.
在全球范围内，只有大约55,000名获得认证的个人。每年约有8,000名考生参加CCIE实验室考试。根据思科的数据，CCIE考试的平均通过率为26%。
印度工程研究生能力倾向测试
GATE is aimed at engineering students who want to study for a master’s degree in India. This exam is accepted by prestigious Indian institutes, including IITs, IISc, and IIMs.
印度工程研究生能力倾向测试面向想在印度攻读硕士学位的工科学生，该考试被印度著名院校承认，包括印度理工学院、印度科学学院、印度管理学院。
This computer-based, three-hour examination is held in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. It covers areas such as engineering, mathematics, science, and general aptitude.
这项以电脑为基础、历时三小时的考试在印度、孟加拉国、斯里兰卡、尼泊尔、埃塞俄比亚和阿拉伯联合酋长国举行，涵盖工程、数学、科学和一般能力等领域。
The exam contains multiple-choice questions and numerical questions. While the exam is not impossible, it can be tough. It requires candidates to have a thorough understanding of the subjects at hand. Combined with competition, the exam becomes a challenge for engineering students.
考试包含选择题和数字题。虽然通过考试不是完全不可能的，但可能很艰难。它要求考生对手头的科目有透彻的了解。结合竞争，该考试成为工科学生的挑战。
Nearly 800,000 to 1 million candidates apply for the exam. An average of 16–18% of them qualify for the test.
近80万到100万考生报考，平均有16%至18%的考生能合格。
美国医师执照考试
Referring to the United States Medical Licensing Examination, USMLE is a three-step examination for medical licenses in the US. The exam is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards and the National Board of Medical Examiners.
提到美国医师执照考试，美国医师执照考试是美国的医师执照三步式考试。该考试由州医学委员会联合会和国家医学检验师委员会赞助。
The first step of the exam takes eight hours, the second step takes nine hours, and the third step takes two days (seven hours for day one and nine hours for day two, respectively).
考试第一步需要八小时，第二步需要九个小时，第三步需要两天 （第一天需要七个小时，第二天需要九个小时）。
The exam tests the candidate's ability to apply the taught knowledge, concepts, and principles. It also tests the physician’s ability to demonstrate patent-centered skills.
考试测试考生应用所学知识、概念和原理的能力。它还测试医生展示以专利为中心的技能的能力。
加州律师资格考试
The California Bar Exam is given over two days, and it comprises five one-hour essay questions, one 90-minute performance test, and The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), typically 200 multiple-choice questions.
加州律师资格考试为期两天，包括五个时长一小时的论文题、一个90分钟的操作测试和多州律师考试，通常有200道选择题。
Just over 52% of test takers passed the July 2022 California Bar Exam. The pass rate on the July 2022 exam was slightly lower than the preceding year’s pass rate of 53%.
只有52%多一点点的考生通过了2022年7月的加州律师考试。2022年7月考试的通过率略低于前一年53%的通过率。
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