More than Seven million students in China began to tackle the first questions in the national college entrance tests on Monday morning. It's the largest number of examinees since they were resumed back in 1977.

Education departments across the country have been working around the clock to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Special attention has been paid to the prevention of cheating.

Police will provide an escort for the exam papers when they're delivered on Monday. Supervising staff has also been trained to spot cheats, including students who use their mobile telephones to pass on information. All registered students have signed a commitment, promising to play fair.

(CCTV.com June 7, 2004)