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Exam mechanics · 4 min

What to bring into the gaokao exam room

A very short list. Pack it the night before, not the morning of.

Your admission ticket (准考证) and national ID card (身份证). Both checked, both in a transparent folder.

Two 2B pencils, already sharpened, plus a sharpener that catches the shavings and a soft eraser.

Two black-ink ballpoint pens. Not blue. Not gel, unless your province explicitly allows it.

For the maths and physics sessions: a transparent ruler, a pair of compasses and a set square.

A water bottle with the label peeled off. Some exam centres do not allow any labelled containers.

A packet of tissues and a small hand towel. Exam rooms in June can be warm.

Nothing electronic. No watch that vibrates, no smart band, no wireless earbuds in a pocket — not even switched off.

Pack the bag the night before and check it once in the morning. Do not repack it in the morning; that is exactly when things get left behind.

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