1 . AI, or artificial intelligence, has become increasingly popular in everyday life. Programmers code and “train” computers to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual recognition, artificial speech, and problem solving. AI algorithms (人工智能算法) work behind the scenes to customize ads and content online, and natural language processors interact and respond with users in a conversational manner. AI chatbots are now widely available and can be used for a variety of purposes .

One example of an AI that may help protect individuals is “Take It Down”, a program developed by Meta to help teenagers remove unauthorized photos from the internet. While there are concerns about AI programs collecting data and invading privacy, AI automation can save time and improve efficiency in many areas, including this task that would otherwise take hours to perform manually.

The current generation of AI chatbots still face limitations in fully simulating human emotions and attending to subtle variations of language cues in human conversations. The problems result from AI developers’ preference of language choices. They must continue to work on improving AI processing and linguistics for a more humanized approach.

AI may also change how we approach education and tutoring. AI tutoring programs and AI-assisted mental health services could provide 24/7 accessibility for students and personalized assessments for academic, behavioral, and mental health issues. However, concerns remain over the potential misuse of AI technology for cheating and plagiarism in academic settings.

Despite concerns about privacy and the sci-fi idea of AI robots taking over, AI will continue to open up new discoveries in all aspects of life. This technology carries both risks and benefits, but if used with care, it can bring positive developments while avoiding risks to livelihoods and privacy.

2 . The giant African land snail (GALS) has returned to Florida for a third time. On June 23, 2022, Florida officials reported that the snails had been found in the New Port Richey area of Pasco County.

To stop the snails from spreading to other areas, officials have asked Pasco County residents not to move any soil or yard waste and to call a special hotline for any sightings. Specially-trained dogs have also been brought in to sniff out the snails. The areas where the snails have been found will be treated with a special pesticide for 18 months. Florida officials also intend to monitor the sites for two years after the last snail has been found.

Giant African land snails are one of the most destructive snails in the world. The fist-sized snails are native to East Africa. They consume over 500 plant and tree species. While they prefer to eat fruit and vegetables like beans, cucumbers and melons, the animals are not fussy (挑剔). They will eat ornamental plants, tree bark and even paint on houses! The animals also pose a serious health risk to humans by carrying the parasite (寄生). They multiply rapidly, producing about 1,200 eggs in a single year. This makes it challenging to control their population.

Greg Hodges, the assistant director of the state's division of plant industry, says the latest GALSs differ from' the ones previously found. They have light cream-colored bodies. “The populations that we coped with before had dark gray to brown bodies,” he explains. “This kind of cream-colored snails is very common in the pet trade in Europe.”

The officials are not sure how the snails got here this time. But Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says, “Because agriculture is such a prominent part of our economics in the state, it is so imperative that we get in front of these things. Let me assure you: we will get rid of these snails. It is not a question of if; it’s just when.”

3 . When the film Everything Everywhere All at Once was released, it felt like its highly positive responses came out of nowhere. Reviews were posted, cinema screenings were sold out, and people were weeping online simply because it was that good. It has swiftly become the Internet’s new favorite film. Below is something you need to know about this film.

Evelyn Wang (starring Michelle Yeoh) is a Chinese American woman who is between running her laundry business and dealing with the breakdown of her relationship with her marriage and her daughter. However, this is not just a film about the bonds of family; instead, Wang discovers a technology that can make her have access to alternate realities. To make the universe and all of is alternatives hang in the balance, Wang sets out to save them all.

In a word, it’s a story about an aging Chinese immigrant caught up in a crazy adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes. Besides, there’s this deep family element that exists within the multiverse (多重宇宙) story. It’s also a story about the entire nature of existence and what it means to age.

“Evelyn deserves her own voice,” Yeoh says. “She’s a very ordinary housewife, an immigrant mother who's trying her very best to survive.” Despite the fact that Evelyn’s experience is not actually (or at least not entirely) Michelle’s experience, there’s one point where they do intersect (相交). In many ways, both have been greatly underestimated. Evelyn has been underestimated by everyone around her, and even herself who sees only ordinariness in her identity as a middle-aged woman. Yeoh has been underestimated by the movie industry. “I have not been the first lead in a movie in Hollywood for a long, long time,” Yeoh says. The opportunity to take a leading role written for her felt like recognition: as a nearly 60-year-old Asian actress, she can still carry a film entirely on her own.

4 . The world is full of cheap vacation spots. Here are my favorite cheap places to travel to help you plan your next affordable adventure:

Thailand

Thailand is incredible. It’s also super. affordable. With a tourist trail going back decades, Thailand is the heart of backpacking in Southeast Asia, and you can get by on between $30-35 per day thanks to cheap guesthouses, budget street food (which can be found for as little as $1 !), local buses, and the many cheap and free attractions. However, even at the price, Thailand is still one of the most bargain-friendly destinations in the world and should not be skipped!

Cambodia

It’s affordable and beautiful, and the locals are incredibly hospitable. You can get a private, air-conditioned room for $25, street food for S2-5 and transportation across the entire country for $20-25. If you are spending close to $50 per day, you are living large. Cambodia is cheaper than popular Thailand but just as beautiful and filled with some of the nicest people in the world. Plus, it’s home to the incredible Angkor Wat .

Portugal

It is a country with beautiful beaches, stunning seaside cliffs, delicious food, friendly locals, and historic cities all at bargain prices. Portugal has become a lot more popular and crowded in recent years and Lisbon has become especially expensive as people move there and drive up prices. It’s a great place after all! However, once you get outside of Lisbon, prices are still relatively cheap compared to the rest of Western Europe. Expect to get by on S45-60 per day if you’re a budget backpacker.

Georgia

Georgia has everything 1 need in a destination: it’s cheap, has delicious food and wine, offers incredible hikes and mountain scenery without huge numbers of tourists. You can get by on next to nothing here too, with budget travelers spending as little as $25 per day. Beer is around $2, a week’s worth of groceries costs around $25-30, and most museums and historic sites cost just $2-3.

Ever since he was a young boy growing up in Rosario, Argentina, Lionel Messi always dreamed     1     becoming a World Cup champion. Now, he has achieved this.

On Dec 18, Argentina     2    (defeat) France in the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This victory has helped Argentina win     3    (other) World Cup after their last win in 1986. For a long time, Messi     4    (compare) with Maradona, an Argentina soccer legend.

With excellent skills and great accomplishments, these two players are both considered the     5    (great) players in their era. Maradona succeeded in helping his team lift the trophy in the World Cup. Yet, Messi hadn’t before.

Messi has won many honors, including FIFA World Players of the Year. While he led the   Argentina team     6    (take) part in World CuIp four times before, his team’s best result was     7    (mere) runner-up in the 2014 Brazil World Cup. Many Argentine fans felt disappointed and even suspected Messi didn’t want to win     8     World Cup for his country.

But now, all rumors are cleared away. With his     9    (persevere) and skills, the 35-year-old Messi completed the sport of soccer by winning the final trophy     10     still excited him.

10 . Friendship is a practice of unconditional love, an opportunity to grow together towards fulfillment (成就), and a journey to unfold the most precious capacities of a human being.     1    Here 4 key points to develop and sustain a true friendship.

    2    Many times we blame the other person for what we feel, without realizing that we are presenting the bad power to him/her. This is not, however, something we must be afraid of or we should avoid. When we create a bond of affection with another human being, we are automatically vulnerable to the actions that are produced by this person. Being aware of that, we would be better off if we take responsibility and accept the emotions that come up in our inner world instead of blaming the other for what we are feeling.

Provide support and encouragement. Friendships aren’t all fun and games — they do require you put in some work. Say they’ve just quarreled with their parents or failed an exam. It’s your job to be there for them and provide them with whatever they need, starting with support and comfort.     3    

Whatever the case, make it apparent that you’re rooting for them.

Seek the good of the other person. When we love another person, we seek the good of the other because we gladden their own happiness. Therefore, our seeking for the other person’s good is totally disinterested. We serve the other without expecting anything in return.     4    

Accept the differences.     5    . Friendship welcomes differences and integrates them into a level of union that accepts and goes beyond them. Friendship involves recognizing that the value of the relationship is beyond our personal traits and belief system.