6 . A major meeting of computer hackers (黑客) planned for this summer is to include an event that will test the limits of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The event, in August, will be held as part of the yearly DEF CON hacker meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Organizers say the meeting provides a chance for hackers to hear from leading industry officials about the latest developments in computer security. It also includes hacking competitions.

This year, several major AI developers will take part in DEF CON. Among them will be OpenAI, which launched its latest AI model, ChatGPT-4, in March.

Recently released AI tools are built by feeding huge amounts of information into machine learning computer systems. The data trains the AI systems to develop complex skills and produce human-like results.

Experts have warned that such systems may bring major changes to many different jobs and industries. It affects everyone from managers to workers to housewives. They also fear the tools, known as “chatbots”, could greatly increase the amount of misinformation in the news media and on social media.

Chowdhury, an organizer of the hacking event, says the results of the event can provide helpful information to companies looking at ways to safely use the fast-developing AI systems. She notes that the hackers’ work will not end after the gathering. They will spend months afterward creating reports on their findings and identifying specific system vulnerabilities (漏洞).

Jack Clark is the co-founder of AI developer Anthropic. He says he hopes the DEF CON event will lead to deeper commitments from AI developers to measure and test the safety of their systems. For this to happen, though, AI systems will need to be examined by third parties both before and after deployment (部署). “We need to get practice at figuring out how to do this. It hasn’t really been done before,” he says.

7 . If you’re thinking about growing apples, now is the time to test different kinds and talk with local growers. This advice comes from gardening writer Lee Reich. His books include The Pruning (修剪) Book and Weedless Gardening. Reich grows an apple called Hudson’s Golden Gem, and he does so for one reason — the taste. He says the fruit’s wonderful taste makes it truly special.

When you buy apples at the store, your choice is limited to the 12 or more kinds available for sale. Gardeners, however, have more choices. They can plant any of more than 5,000 different kinds of apples.

Gardeners can also harvest their apples just as each kind reaches its moment of perfection. Reich says his Macoun apples taste much better than any Macoun apples found in stores. One reason is that his can be left to ripen until they nearly fall off the tree.

Here are some other flavorful apples to plant. The Ashmead’s Kernel apple was first grown more than 200 years ago in a garden belonging to Dr. Ashmead in Gloucester, England. The apple has a reddish, golden brown color. Inside, it has tasty, sharp flesh. Cox’s Orange Pippin is another old apple from England. It was first grown by Richard Cox in 1825. This apple’s orange and red color makes it unpopular in the American market. But it is loved for its strong taste. Ellison’s Orange is another British apple that came from Lincolnshire in 1911. It is a late summer or early autumn apple, golden yellow with stripes, with juicy flesh.

Before you run out to buy trees to grow the kinds you love to eat, Reich does have a warning: Apples are not easy to grow in many parts of the country. The plants require yearly pruning and insect control. But if you’re willing to learn how to keep the unwanted insects away, a few kinds of trees chosen for their taste will give you years of good eating.

8 . It was a typical weekend for Mitch White and his friends. They were out celebrating a bachelor party, sailing the peaceful waters of the Minnesota River. They never expected that this single party would transform from a relaxed canoe trip into a painful rescue mission. With the sun setting, an unexpected bark changed everything.

Led by Mitch White, the soon-to-be-married man, they searched for the source of the sound along the banks of the river. Suddenly, a weak cry for help came from the mud. They were surprised to find that the head of a 13-year-old St. Bernard named Ed was barely visible in the thick mud. Mitch said, “The dog wasn’t moving on its own, so we should feed it and give it water.” The dog looked like it had used all its strength.

The men took up their oars (桨) and began digging, their festive mood giving way to a focused rescue mission. It took them more than half an hour to free the trapped dog as it was already breathing very feebly after possibly being trapped for 24 hours. When they got the poor fellow out of the mud, he couldn’t walk, so they carried him back to the house. Back home with his owner, George Niskanen, Ed began his slow restoration—a happy ending to a dangerous adventure. George was thankful to the bachelor party heroes.

Now, the people of Carver, Minnesota, have new heroes to cheer for. Indeed, this incredible act of bravery and compassion redefined the meaning of a bachelor party. It became a heroic tale of humanity, friendship, and the instinct (本能) to do what’s right.

Gao Ershi is highly regarded     1     an outstanding scholar, poet and calligrapher of     2     20th century. In his lifetime, he mostly lived in his native Jiangsu province, and his achievements were     3     (large) known among cultural circles.

In recent years, his reputation has spread to the wider public, thanks to many     4     (donate) works and their display in art museums. One latest example is an exhibition of Gao’s calligraphy at the Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy. Running until Sunday, A Trace of Lanting brings together     5     (dozen) of Gao's calligraphy works, as well as some by famous scholars and calligraphers in his close circle.

Since it was started last year, the exhibition,     6     received about 200,000 visitors, has been touring across China to mark the anniversary (周年纪念) of Gao’s birth. It was shown at Zhejiang Art Museum, in the provincial capital Hangzhou,     7     Zhengzhou Museum of Art, in Henan province and so on.

Works on display are from the collections of public institutions and private collectors. The exhibition shows the lasting appeal of calligraphy as an important part of Chinese civilization,     8     (link) the past and the present. It also     9     (demonstrate) the precious spiritual legacy (遗产) Gao left to the world through his     10     (vary) Chinese calligraphic works and efforts to reform the art.

10 . Sam Balto is a physical education teacher at a local elementary school in Portland. Sam _________ that his students weren’t getting enough _________ or physical activity in their daily lives. With the health of his students in _________, he decided to come up with a special idea to get them _________.

Because of his own passion for _________, Sam introduced the students to the creative idea of the “bike buses”. With the support of enthusiastic volunteers, he organized a daily event where children _________ to and from school in groups accompanied by _________ adults.

The bike bus not only _________ exercise, but also develops a sense of community among participants. As Sam and the _________ rode their bikes with the students to and from school every day, more and more neighbors took notice. The sight of bicycles rolling down the streets became a __________ of community unity and healthy living.

Thanks to Sam’s initiative and determination, “bike buses” are __________ becoming popular. An increasing number of families, teachers and neighbors have __________ the campaign, encouraging one another to enjoy the __________ of cycling together.

Through Sam’s efforts, not only have the students become more __________ and healthy, but the entire community has also experienced a __________ transformation. The once sedentary (久坐不动的) environment is now filled with laughter and bicycle bells among neighbors.