South Korean test-takers expressed confusion and dejection on Thursday as the country's highly competitive annual university entrance exam, called a "life assignment exam" by some, was postponed¹ a week for the first time ever due to safety concerns.

上周四，韩国宣布全国高考因安全原因推迟一周，这是韩国高考首次推迟，一些高考考生表达出困惑和沮丧之情。高考在韩国竞争相当激烈，被一些人称为“决定一生的考试”。

South Korea postponed the exam after a rare earthquake rattled² the country on Wednesday, causing damage to buildings including some schools.

上周三，韩国发生了一次罕见的地震，造成一些建筑物损毁，其中包括一些学校。因此韩国宣布高考延期举行。

The exam is life-defining for many high school seniors, as a prestigious³ university on one's resume is seen a minimum for securing a place in limited corporate⁴ jobs in Asia's fourth-largest economy, which is dominated by conglomerates⁵.

对很多高三毕业生来说，高考是他们人生的重大转折，因为在求职简历上，名牌大学学历是应聘数量有限的公司职位的敲门砖。韩国是亚洲第四大经济体，国内经济由企业集团掌控。

Because the wrong answer to a single question in the roughly 200-question exam can mean dropping in the national ranking and failure to enter one's choice of university, tensions ran high.

高考试卷大约有200道题，答错一道题就会导致全国排名下降，无法进入自己中意的大学，所以气氛很紧张。

虽然部分考生对因自然灾害推迟考试日程表示慌张，但能淡然接受。也有部分考生认为自己备考不够充分，为多出的充足准备时间感到庆幸。但多数考生表示，即便多出一周准备考试结果也不会改变，所以心情十分郁闷。

"It's a bit hellish thinking I have to do this for one more week," said 20-year-old Cho Hyun-lee, studying at one of Seoul's largest cram⁶ schools to take the test again after last year. "People are dispirited, lying with their faces down."

20岁的Cho Hyun-lee就读于首尔一所最大的补习学校，今年第二次参加高考，他说：“还要继续学习一周，简直是身陷地狱。大家都沮丧得抬不起头。”

Some scrambled⁷ to recover books they'd thrown away yesterday or buy new ones, two test-takers told Reuters, while others "gave up", uploading pictures of classmates sleeping or reading online comics on social media. Still others agonized⁸ over missing concerts of their favorite singers or South Korea's largest online game exhibition this week.

两位考生告诉路透社说，一些考生赶紧去找回头一天刚扔掉的书，或者购买新书。一些考生直接放弃，把同学睡觉或者看网络漫画的照片上传到社交媒体上。还有一些考生因为要错过心爱歌手的演唱会或者本周韩国最大的网络游戏展览而苦恼。

As fainter aftershocks continued on Wednesday and Thursday, many Koreans said they support the postponement⁹ -- but some were inconsolable.

上周三和周四，部分地区出现轻微余震，很多韩国人说他们支持推迟高考，但一些人还是很伤心。

"It feels like I was turning the handle on the exit door from hell then returned to square one," said Lee Yoon-mi, a high school senior in Incheon.

仁川市高三毕业生Lee Yoon-mi说：“就好像我已经要转动门把从地狱出去了，结果又被打回起点。”

"If you're not a test-taker, you could never understand."

“如果你不是高考考生，你永远不会理解。”

准备高考过后进行各种整容手术的女生们也都同样感到慌张，光州一名高三考生表示她原本已经和医院预约好高考后就去做双眼皮手术。还有考生为了科学减肥已在健身中心预约，无奈高考延迟，一周的训练费用也打了水漂。

Meanwhile, South Korean society, geared for the exam's smooth progress, prepared to do it all again next Thursday.

同时，整个韩国社会为高考顺利举行而进行的准备时隔一周之后还要再来一遭。

Airplanes, barred from taking off or landing for 35 minutes on Thursday morning to prevent their noise from interfering¹⁰ with the exam's listening section, were allowed to land or take off, the transport ministry¹¹ said.

韩国交通部表示，上周四上午原本为避免干扰英语听力考试而禁止起降35分钟的飞机可以正常起降。

But the stock market and banks still opened an hour late on Thursday -- a device to help keep roads clear for students getting to test sites.

但在上周四，股市和银行仍然晚开一小时，这个规定是为了使道路通畅，让学生能按时到达考场。

Four police officers were stationed on double shifts at each of the 85 locations exam questions are kept and police patrolled the premises¹² every two hours to prevent their leaking.

在85个考卷存放地，每个存放地都有4名警察轮岗值班，警察每隔两小时巡逻，以防漏题。