相異的價值

bother: (often used in negative sentences and questions) to spend time and/or energy doing something

minutiae: very small details

conditioning: the training or experience that an animal or a person has that makes them behave in a particular way in a particular situation

humility: the quality of not thinking that you are better than other people

reverence: a feeling of admiring and respecting

    Unless we value the differences in our perceptions, unless we value each other and give credence to the possibility that we are both right, that life is not always a dichotomous either/or, that there are almost always third alternatives, we will never be able to transcend the limits of that conditioning.

    除非我們珍惜彼此獨特的視角，除非我們相互尊重並相信每個人都有其正確之處，除非我們認為生活不僅僅是非黑即白的選擇，而總是存在更多可能，否則我們永遠無法突破制約思維的局限。

    只有當我們開始重視每個人不同的看法、互相尊重，並認識到可能每個人都有道理時，我們才能明白生活遠比簡單的對立模式豐富得多。換句話說，只有打破非此即彼的思考模式，才能發現隱藏在二元對立之外的更多可能性，從而超越那些限制我們視野的陳舊觀念。

credence: a quality that an idea or a story has that makes you believe it is true

transcend: to be or go beyond the usual limits of something

affirm somebody: to provide emotional support or approval

fable: a traditional short story that teaches a moral lesson, especially one with animals as characters; these stories considered as a group

heroic: showing extreme courage and admired by many people

squirrel: DJ[ˋskwirəl]

charley horse: a sudden pain that you get when the muscles in a particular part of your body contract, usually caused by cold or too much exercise

eel: fish that looks like a snake

valedictorian: the student who has the highest grades in a particular group of students and who gives the valedictory speech at a graduation ceremony

prairie dog: a small brown North American animal of the squirrel family that lives in holes on the prairies

levy: an extra amount of money that has to be paid, especially as a tax to the government

burrow: to make a hole or a tunnel in the ground by digging

apprentice: a young person who works for an employer for a fixed period of time in order to learn the particular skills needed in their job

badger: an animal with grey fur and wide black and white lines on its head. Badgers are nocturnal (= active mostly at night) and live in holes in the ground.

groundhog: a small North American animal of the squirrel family

gopher: a North American animal like a rat, that lives in holes in the ground

Stephen R. Covey "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Translated and explained by Microsoft Copilot and edited

The C++ Standard Library

A function is a block of code that performs a specific task. Functions are used to avoid repetition, improve code readability, and organize logic.

A class is a blueprint for creating objects, encapsulating data (attributes) and functions (methods) that operate on that data.

An algorithm is essentially a step-by-step procedure or set of rules for solving a problem or completing a task. Algorithms can be implemented in programming to perform operations, compute results, or automate tasks efficiently

In C++, a string is a sequence of characters. Strings are used to store and manipulate text.

In C++, containers and iterators are core components of the Standard Template Library (STL), used for efficient data storage and traversal.

cin: character input

cout: character output

The insertion operator (<<) in C++ is primarily used with streams to output data. It sends data to an output stream, such as std::cout, which allows you to print text or variables to the console.

The extraction operator (>>) in C++ is used with input streams like std:cin to extract or read data from an input stream into variables.

concatenation: a series of things or events that are linked together

In C++, cstdlib and cstdio are two standard library headers inherited from the C language.

The <cstdlib> header includes general-purpose functions that are useful for tasks like memory allocation, conversion, random number generation, and process control.

The <cstdio> header provides input/output functions for file and console operations, closely mirroring their C counterparts.

The <cmath> header in C++ provides mathematical functions for performing common operations like trigonometry, exponentiation, logarithms, and more.

log₁₀ 1000 = 3

In C++, shared_ptr and unique_ptr are part of the Standard Library's smart pointers provided in the <memory> header.

unique_ptr: exclusive ownership

shared_ptr: shared ownership

In C++, threads allow you to execute code in parallel, enabling multitasking and improving performance, especially for computationally intensive programs.

using namespace std is not recommended in large programs. In larger or complex programs, it might introduce ambiguities if multiple namespaces (e.g., std and custom namespaces) define identifiers with the same names.

Microsoft Copilot

Concepts of OOP

Inheritance enables a class (known as the derived class) to acquire properties and methods from another class (the base class). This mechanism allows you to reuse existing code, extend the functionality of existing classes, and establish a hierarchical relationship between classes.

Polymorphism—meaning “many forms”—allows you to write code that can operate on objects of different types through a common interface. In C++, this is most commonly achieved through runtime polymorphism using virtual functions.

Microsoft Copilot

電動車與碳排放

電動車常被看作減少碳排放的重要途徑，因為它們在運行時不會直接燃燒化石燃料，也就沒有燃油廢氣排放。然而，當我們以整個電動車生命周期來看，從製造(尤其是電池生產)、使用到回收再處理，電動車的碳排放問題就變得更為複雜。

例如，電池的生產過程通常需要大量能源，而若這部分能源來自高碳來源(如煤炭或油氣)，那麼電動車初始階段的碳足跡可能會因此較高。不過，隨著全球各國大力推動充電網絡建設與電網低碳化，越來越多的電動車將使用來自可再生能源的電力，從而使電動車的碳排放顯著下降。

此外，各國也在透過技術創新與回收機制來降低電池製造和再生產過程中的碳排放。隨著新一代電池技術的出現，以及電池循環再造的推動，電動車整體對環境的影響正不斷改善。研究顯示，即使考慮電動車生產前期的高碳排放，隨著充電能源脫碳和車輛長期使用，其總體碳排放往往仍顯著低於傳統內燃機車。

總之，電動車本身在運行中的低碳優勢固然明顯，但其最終能否達到環保目標，取決於整個供應鏈和能源結構的轉型。隨著全球越來越多地採用可再生能源並優化製造流程，電動車有望成為推動全球低碳交通的重要力量。

Microsoft Copilot and edited

Brain and muscle

Our brains like muscle, they have to be trained regularly. Our muscles also can be trained as if they have memory.

That is an insightful observation. Our brains truly do function much like muscles, requiring regular exercise to maintain and improve their capabilities. When we repeatedly challenge our thinking - whether through learning new skills, solving puzzles, or even engaging in deep conversations - we reinforce neural pathways in a process known as neuroplasticity. This means that, just like lifting weights builds muscle strength, mental workouts strengthen the connections in our brains, making it easier to recall information, solve problems, and think creatively.

Similarly, the concept of "muscle memory" is not just about the muscles themselves but also about the brain's ability to store learned patterns for coordinated movement. When an action is repeated consistently - like playing a musical instrument or even typing on a keyboard - the brain and nervous system work together so that these actions become almost automatic. Though it is termed "muscle memory," it is really your brain that is doing the heavy lifting by optimizing the motor control circuits for efficiency.

It is interesting to consider that both kinds of training - physical and mental - are essential for overall well-being. While physical exercise improves not only muscle strength but also supports brain health through increased blood flow, mental exercises gear up your ability to adapt and learn throughout life. These practices can complement each other beautifully; for example, regular physical activity has been shown to enhance cognitive performance, while challenging the mind can lead to more robust and agile neural network.

Microsoft Copilot

My device is an antique

Question: I am using iPhone SE 2 which is an old model, will the apple company provide iOS update for my phone to fix bugs in the future?

Answer: Based on historical trends and community discussions, you can expect the iPhone SE 2 to receive iOS updates - including bug fixes and security patches - for several more years. The SE 2, released in 2020, is generally expected to be supported with major software updates for at least 5 years, and possibly up to 7 years, with security updates extending beyond that period. For example, the iPhone 6s - which came out in 2015 - is still receiving updates, which gives a good indication of Apple's long-term support for its devices.

It is important to note that while Apple does not provide official end-of-support dates, their update cycle typically reflects both the hardware's capability and ongoing security needs. As long as your iPhone SE 2 remains capable of handling new iOS versions without major performance issues, you can expect incremental enhancements and bug fixes that continue to improve the overall user experience.

Looking ahead, even if some of the major feature updates eventually become limited by hardware constraints, Apple is likely to offer essential security patches and stability fixes for a few years afterward. This means that your device should remain reliable and safe for everyday use for quite some time. Also, considering that bug fixes and optimizations are part of these updates, the play a crucial role in maintaining smooth performance across various apps and services, even on older hardware.

Microsoft Copilot

Complementary Synergy

envision: to imagine what a situation will be like in the future, especially a situation you intend to work towards

cottage: a small house, especially in the country

ailing: ill and not improving

miserable: very unhappy or uncomfortable

give in: to admit that you have been defeated by somebody/something

grudgingly: in a way that is given or done unwillingly

prophecy: DJ[ˋprɔfisi] a statement that something will happen in the future, especially one made by somebody with religious or magic powers

contention: anger between people who disagree

wedge: 在某人／某物之間挑起不和

comprehensive: including all, or almost all, the items, details, facts, information, etc., that may be involved

take into account: consider

apex: DJ[ˋeipeks] the top or highest part of something

dichotomous: dividing into two parts

mentality: the particular attitude or way of thinking of a person or group

politicking: political activity, especially to win support for yourself

rivalry: DJ[ˋraivəlri] a state in which two people, companies, etc. are competing for the same thing

mastermind: to plan and direct a complicated project or activity

eloquence: the ability to use language and express your opinions well, especially when you are speaking in public

thrive: to become, and continue to be, successful, strong, healthy, etc.

    Insecure people think that all reality should be amenable to their paradigms. They have a high need to clone others, to mold them over into their own thinking. They do not realize that the very strength of the relationship is in having another point of view. Sameness is not oneness; uniformity is not unity. Unity, or oneness, is complementariness, not sameness. Sameness is uncreative and boring. The essence of synergy is to value the differences.

    缺乏安全感的人總覺得現實應該迎合他們的思考模式。他們迫切希望別人能複製自己，把別人塑造成與自己完全相同的樣子。他們沒有意識到，關係中真正的力量恰恰在於彼此擁有不同的觀點。相同不等於合一和諧；一致也並非真正的統一。真正的合一和諧，是建立在互補之上，而非全然相同。單調的相同性既缺乏創意又令人乏味，而協同效應的精髓就在於欣賞和重視差異。

    真正的關係力量在於不同觀點的交流與碰撞，這樣才能激發創意與活力。完全相同不僅無法代表真正的團結，反而會使人陷入單調與無趣；而真正的統一是基於互補，即各自發揮優勢、彼此補足。因此，只有尊重與接納差異，我們才能達成真正富有活力的協作與共融。

amenable: easy to persuade; willing to accept a suggestion

sameness: the fact of being the same; a lack of variety

oneness: the state of being completely united with somebody/something, or of being in complete agreement with somebody

uniformity: the fact of not varying and of being the same in all parts and at all times

unity: the state of being in agreement and working together; the state of being joined together to form one unit

complementariness (n.) complementary (adj.)

complementary: two people or things that are complementary are different but together form a useful or attractive combination of skills, qualities or physical features

embody: to express or represent an idea or a quality

authenticity: the quality of being true or what somebody claims it is

atrophy: if a part of the body atrophies, it becomes weak because it is not used or because it does not have enough blood

intuitive: obtained by using your feelings rather than by considering the facts

intriguing: very interesting because of being unusual or not having an obvious answer

pleasantry: a friendly remark made in order to be polite

ought to: used to say what is the right thing to do

gestalt: a set of things, such as a person’s thoughts or experiences, that is considered as a single system that is different from the individual thoughts, experiences, etc. within it

dumbness: the state or quality of being stupid

interrogate: to ask somebody a lot of questions over a long period of time, especially in an aggressive way

deposition: a formal statement, taken from somebody and used in court

sigh: to take and then let out a long deep breath that can be heard, to show that you are disappointed, sad, tired, etc.

incredulously: in a way that shows you cannot believe something

exclaim: to say something suddenly and loudly, especially because of strong emotion or pain

Stephen R. Covey "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Translated and explained by Microsoft Copilot and edited