年轻人安静地坐着，耳朵深处塞着一个微型耳机。通过这个设备，网络会将信息传送到他耳中。别误会，他可不是什么间谍--只是个单纯地想要通过一场英语考试的普通学生罢了。

 

　　In a recent CCTV (China Central Television) report about cheating on the CET4/6 exams in Heilongjiang province, students were revealed to have purchased answers in order to ensure that they would pass the exams. Many of them were using a pea-sized speaker to receive the answers over a radio frequency.

 

　　不久前，央视报道披露了黑龙江大学英语四六级考试中部分学生为通过考试购买答案的行为。很多人藉由一个豌豆大小的耳机来通过无线电频率接收答案。

 

　　Chen Yu, a 24-year-old graduate from a Shanxi-based college who asked to use a pseudonym, passed his CET 6 exam by paying others to transmit answers to him during the exam. "Back then, I thought cheating was OK, because I didn`t hurt anyone by passing an exam," said Chen.

 

　　陈瑜（受访者要求用笔名），山西某高校24岁的毕业生，就是跟别人买答案才顺利通过六级考试的。“那时候我觉得考试作弊没什么。因为我作弊并没有伤害到任何人。”陈瑜说。

 

　　However, this view is by no means shared by many of his peers. Students who refuse to cheat say that people like Chen get an unfair edge.

 

　　然而，他的同学们却不这么认为。那些拒绝作弊的同学认为，像陈瑜这样的人利用作弊在竞争中取得优势有失公平。

 

　　Zhao Chenchen, a 22-year-old junior at Shandong University, says that cheaters hurt students who spent tons of time with their noses buried in books. "I feel offended knowing that some of my peers are not playing fair," said Zhao.

 

　　山东大学22岁的大三学生赵晨晨（音译）表示，这些作弊的人伤害了那些花大量时间埋头苦读的学生。“听说同学作弊的事情，我很生气，”赵晨晨说。

 

　　Qin Jianguo, of the student affairs office at Shenzhen University, said that cheating on exams like the CET and the TEM (Test for English Majors) has become so rampant that students are facing a "credibility crisis".

 

　　深圳大学学生处的秦建国（音译）认为，在大学英语四六级、英语专业四八级考试中，猖獗的作弊现象正导致学生遭遇“信用危机”。

 

　　"They [students] are getting more practical, in a very risky way," said Qin. "They are not only cheating the exams, but they are also cheating themselves and, later, all of society."

 

　　“学生们越来越实际，这种现象很危险，”秦建国说，“他们欺骗的不仅是考试，还有他们自己，甚至是全社会。”

 

　　But students who cheat argue that they have no choice -- they say that society has forced them to take such dishonest measures.

 

　　但是，作弊的学生却自称别无选择--他们表示，迫于社会逼迫，他们才做出这种不诚实的行为。

 

　　Chen Yu was only required to pass the CET4 to get his diploma. But some employers required a CET6 certificate. After cheating to pass the CET6, Chen got his "ideal job" in Beijing and soon found that its English requirements were "literally lower than senior high level".

 

　　要拿到毕业证书，陈瑜必须通过大学英语四级考试。但有些公司还要求应聘者获得六级证书。通过作弊手段通过六级考试后，陈瑜在北京找到了“理想的工作”，不久却发现该职位对英语的要求“还不及高中水平”。

 

　　"The CET certificate is no longer a proof of one`s English ability; it has become merely a passport to get a job," said Chen. "Today`s society values certificates - not true ability."

 

　　“四六级证书早已不是一个人英语水平的证明，而仅仅是就业通行证，”陈瑜说，“如今的社会看重证书--而非实际能力。”

 

　　Trying to do too much

 

　　背上的担子过重

 

　　Li Shujuan, a psychology consultant at a Wuhan-based consultation center, thinks that students over-extend themselves. As a result, some turn to cheating rather than scale back other parts of their life.

 

　　武汉某咨询中心的心理顾问李淑娟（音译）认为，学生们的压力过大了。因此，一些人开始选择欺骗而不是缩减生活中的其他环节。

 

　　"Study is a difficult job that needs a great amount of energy, time, and work," said Li. "But the current pressures from school, peers, parents and society are pushing students to take risks."

 

　　“学习其实是一项艰苦的工作，它需要大量精力、时间和辛劳，”李淑娟说。“但来自学校、同学、家长乃至社会的压力逼得他们铤而走险。”

 

　　The CCTV report claims that 388 students were caught cheating in Heilongjiang province during the latest CET exams. According to the Ministry of Education, a total of 9,800 students were caught cheating during last year`s CET exams.

 

　　央视报道称，黑龙江省今年的四六级考试中，共发现违纪作弊考生388人。另据教育部统计，去年的四六级考试中，作弊考生数量达9800名。

 

　　Many universities rule that once a student is found cheating on CET exams, the act will be noted on his or her credibility record.

 

　　很多高校纷纷规定，一旦学生在四六级考试中作弊被抓，将在他/她的信用记录中注明。

 

　　The adopting of A and B test papers on CET exams has lowered the chance of students getting answer keys from others. But even these tighter regulations cannot totally remove the temptation to cheat.

 

　　此外，为减少学生购买答案的机会，四六级考试还特意采取A、B卷。但即便如此严谨的规定仍不能终止作弊之风。

 

　　"If one can get a higher grade through easier ways, he or she might risk it," said Chen.

 

　　“如果可以轻易考高分，人们就可能冒这个险，”陈瑜说。

 

　　Some other students complain that the inaction of local administrations is also to blame for students` cheating.

 

　　也有一些学生抱怨说，作弊现象还应归咎于当地管理部门的失职。

 

　　Shandong University`s Zhao Chenchen says that students don`t need to try very hard to find a way to cheat.

 

　　山东大学的赵晨晨表示，学生不必为寻找作弊手段大费周章。

 

　　"On many campuses in many cities, someone will just grab a student and peddle their `service` on the street. Some even venture into student dorms. How come they can do this?" Zhao asked.

 

　　“在很多高校，有的人就直接在校园里抓过一个学生，兜售‘服务’。更有甚者还潜入学生宿舍。试问，他们怎能如此猖獗？”赵晨晨说。

 

　　As for Chen, he realizes that he was wrong to cheat, and he can`t shake the sense that he is undeserving of the life he has been enjoying.

 

　　对陈瑜来说，他认识到了作弊是错误之举，总觉得自己不配享受现在的生活。

 

　　"I am often haunted by the thought that I cheated to get my job and my current life," he said. "I even feel self-doubt sometimes, which prevents me from enjoying my [so-called] achievements."

 

　　“我经常觉得自己现在的工作和生活是骗来的，”他说。“我甚至经常自我怀疑，不能享受自己所谓的成就。”