TALK ABOUT HIGH STAKES: If you thought your tests were stressful, try again. Last week, nearly 10 million Chinese high school students take the National College Entrance Exam (gaokao in Chinese), held just once a year, for 6.5 million available spots in Chinese universities. The mental and physical toll on students and parents is well-documented. Business Insider has 24 photos that offer a peek of the madness surrounding the all-day cram sessions, hordes of anxious parents, oxygen masks and--yes--confiscated cheating devices. (Our heartbeat just shot up after looking at this.)