Notebook

Device Using: Lenovo ThinkPad X280

Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-8250U CPU @ 1.60GHz (1.80 GHz)

4 Cores, 6 MB Smart Cache

Operation System: Windows 11 Home

Installed RAM: 8.00 GB (7.85 GB usable)

Graphics Card: Intel(R) UHD Graphics 620 (128 MB)

Storage: 121 GB of 238 GB used

System Type: 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Display Size: Size: 12.5 inches (diagonal)

No pen or touch input is available for this display

Latest Device: Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 6

Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 225U Processor

12 Cores, E-cores up to 3.80 GHz P-cores up to 4.80 GHz

A customizable option for SMBs or professionals seeking flexibility

Ideal for lighter tasks and budget-conscious users

Operation System: Windows 11 Pro 64

Memory: 16 GB LPDDR5X-8533MT/s (Soldered)

Storage: 512 GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC Opal

Display: 13.3″ WUXGA (1920×1200) IPS, 400 nits, anti‑glare, 100% sRGB

Lists in Python

In Python, list slicing lets you extract portions of a list using the syntax:

list[start:stop:step]

Components

• start → index where the slice begins (inclusive).

• stop → index where the slice ends (exclusive).

• step → interval between indices (default is 1).

numbers = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60] print(numbers[1:4]) # [20, 30, 40] (from index 1 to 3) print(numbers[:3]) # [10, 20, 30] (first 3 elements) print(numbers[3:]) # [40, 50, 60] (from index 3 to end) print(numbers[::2]) # [10, 30, 50] (every 2nd element) print(numbers[::-1]) # [60, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10] (reversed list)

numbers[1:4]

• Start = 1 → begin at index 1 (the second element, which is 20).

• Stop = 4 → go up to, but not including, index 4.

• So you get elements at indices 1, 2, and 3 → 20, 30, 40.

Python slicing always excludes the stop index. That’s why 50 (at index 4) isn’t included.

print(numbers[::2])

• Start = empty → defaults to the beginning of the list (index 0).

• Stop = empty → defaults to the end of the list.

• Step = 2 → take every second element.

So Python picks indices 0, 2, 4, ... until the end

myList = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] print(myList[0:6:2])

Start = 0 → begin at index 0 (1).

Stop = 6 → go up to, but not including, index 6.

Step = 2 → take every second element.

Notice that even though you wrote stop = 6, your list only goes up to index 4. Python slicing doesn’t throw an error — it just stops at the end of the list. That’s why you still get [1, 3, 5].

The range() function in Python generates a sequence of integers, starting from a given start (default 0), stopping before a given stop, and incrementing by a given step (default 1). It’s most often used in loops to control iteration.

range(start, stop, step)

start → optional, default 0. First number in the sequence.

stop → required. Sequence ends before this number.

step → optional, default 1. Difference between consecutive numbers.

Range function is immutable.

>>> for i in range(5): ...     print(i) ... 0 1 2 3 4 >>>

>>> myList = [1,2,3,4] ... myList.append(5) ... print(myList) ... [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] >>>

In Python, lists have several useful methods for adding and removing elements. Let’s look at insert(), remove(), and pop() side by side:

numbers = [10, 20, 30] numbers.insert(1, 15) # insert 15 at index 1 print(numbers) # [10, 15, 20, 30]

numbers = [10, 20, 30, 20] numbers.remove(20) # removes the first 20 print(numbers) # [10, 30, 20]

pop(): remove and return an element at a given index (default is the last element).

>>> myList = [1,2,3,4,5]

>>> myList.pop()

5

numbers = [10, 20, 30] x = numbers.pop(1) # removes element at index 1 print(x) # 20 print(numbers) # [10, 30]

>>> myList = [1,2,3,4,5]

... while len(myList):

...     print(myList.pop())

...

5

4

3

2

1

Loop ends because len(myList) is now 0.

>>> a = [1,2,3,4,5]

... b = a.copy()

... a.append(6)

... print(a)

... print(b)

...

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

b = a.copy() → makes a shallow copy of a.

• Now b has its own separate list [1,2,3,4,5].

Microsoft Copilot

White Balance

Auto (White Priority): best for indoor fluorescent or mixed light

Shade: adds warmth to counter bluish tones

Cloudy: warmer balance, good for HK’s cloudy spring weather

Tungsten Light: best for indoor with incandescent bulbs

White Fluorescent Light: best for offices, malls in HK

Microsoft Copilot

Personal Computer

Albuquerque: city (the state's most populous) in central New Mexico population 545,852

makeshift: used temporarily for a particular purpose because the real thing is not available

plywood: board made by sticking thin layers of wood on top of each other

The Altair 8800, introduced by MITS in January 1975, is widely recognized as the first commercially successful personal computer, igniting the microcomputer revolution.

laundromat: ​​a place where you can wash and dry your clothes in machines that you pay to use

massage parlor: a place where you can pay to have a massage

shell out: ​(informal) to pay a lot of money for something

novelty: the quality of being new, different and interesting

splurge: an act of spending a lot of money on something that you do not really need

gadget: a small tool or device that does something useful

tinker: tinker (with something) to make small changes to something in order to repair or improve it, especially in a way that may not be helpful

Menlo Park: city in western California southeast of San Francisco population 32,026

swap: to give something to somebody and receive something in exchange

glimpse: a sight of somebody/something for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely

toggle: to press a key or set of keys on a computer keyboard in order to turn a feature on or off, or to move from one program, etc. to another

staccato: (music, from Italian) with each note played separately in order to produce short, sharp sounds

rendition: the performance of something, especially a song or piece of music; the particular way in which it is performed

2001: A Space Odyssey is a seminal 1968 science fiction film directed by Stanley Kubrick and co-written with Arthur C. Clarke.

home brew: beer that somebody makes at home

stoke something (up) to make something increase or develop more quickly

whistle-stop: visiting a lot of different places in a very short time

counterculture: a way of life and set of ideas that are opposed to those accepted by most of society; a group of people who share such a way of life and such ideas

hippie: a person who rejects the way that most people live in Western society, often having long hair, wearing brightly colored clothes and taking illegal drugs. The hippie movement was most popular in the 1960s.

zeitgeist: the general mood or quality of a particular period of history, as shown by the ideas, beliefs, etc. common at the time

monolithic: ​(often disapproving) used to describe single, very large organizations that are very slow to change and not interested in individual people

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is the world's largest defense and aerospace corporation

inaugural: IPA[ɪˈnɔːgjʊrəl]

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

www.merriam-webster.com

Google AI Overview

Testing New Al Alloy Tripod

Mode: Manual

ISO 400, 35mm(APS-C), f/5.6, 1/40s

Flash: compulsory; Tripod Used, Image Stabilization of Lens Off 

Flash Exposure Compensation is lowered.

Two-second Self-Timer set

    When using a tripod with the Canon EOS 1500D and EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, I have the advantage of stability, which allows me to use slower shutter speed to capture more ambient light while using the flash to fill in the subject.

    Since I don't have bounce flash, I use direct flash. This is more powerful but can create harsh shadows and "flat" lighting. Since I have a tripod, I can use it to manage the quality of image while dealing with the harsh direct light.

    Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC): Direct flash often looks "too bright" or creates unnatural highlights. Go into the camera's flash menu and lower the FEC to -1 or -2. This softens the effect, making the flash look like a subtle "fill" light rather than a harsh strobe.

    Balance with ambient light: Since I have a tripod, I don't have to rely on the flash only. Use a slower shutter speed (e.g. 1/30 or 1/40s) to allow room light to contribute to the exposure.

    Recommended Setting

Mode: Manual

Allows me to keep settings consistent.

Shutter Speed: 1/40s - 1/60s

Slow enough to pull in background light.

Aperture: f/4 - f/5.6

Keeps a good balance between light intake and sharpness.

ISO: ISO 400-800

Keeps the image clean while ensuring the flash doesn't have to work at full power.

Flash Power: -1 or -2 FEC

Prevents the subject from looking "blown out" or too harsh.

    Image stabilization is often turned off on a tripod because the stabilizer is designed to look for movement and correct it; when the camera is already perfectly still, some systems can "hunt" or make tiny corrections that create blur instead of reducing it.

Information from Perplexity.ai and edited

善用曝光補償

例子︰夜景

相機測光認為是太暗，用光圈先決的話，相機會自動調光一些。這個時候，曝光補償的設定取決於拍攝意圖。

例子︰雪景

相機測光認為是太亮，用光圈先決的話，相機會自動調暗一些。這個時候要將曝光補償設定成 +1~1.5EV。

Python Quiz

In Python, int(9.9) returns 9.

Here’s why:

The int() function truncates the decimal part of a floating-point number.

It does not round — it simply drops everything after the decimal point.

So 9.9 becomes 9.

In Python, any nonzero number (whether int, float, or complex) evaluates to True when converted to bool.

In Python, int and Decimal are both numeric types, but they serve very different purposes: int is for whole numbers, while Decimal is for precise decimal arithmetic, often used in finance or scientific contexts.

When you run bytes(4) in Python, it creates a bytes object of length 4, filled with zeros.

b = bytes(4)

print(b)   # b'\x00\x00\x00\x00'

bytes(n) → produces a sequence of n bytes.

Each byte is initialized to 0 (\x00 in hexadecimal).

The result is immutable, meaning you cannot change its contents after creation.

b = bytes(5)

print(b)   # b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00'

In Python, writing with triple quotes (''' ... ''' or """ ... """) creates a multi‑line string.

Microsoft Copilot

微距拍攝

    在微距拍攝中通常不需要使用大光圈，因為即使在中小光圈下，景深已經非常淺。在 1:1 放大倍率下，即使使用 f/8–f/11，景深也只有幾毫米。若用大光圈 (f/2.8–f/4)，景深可能縮到不到 1 毫米，導致昆蟲的眼睛清晰但觸角完全模糊。大光圈下焦點範圍極窄，任何微小晃動或主體移動都會失焦。若使用小光圈 (如 f/16)，光線較少，需要額外補光或使用閃燈。這也是為什麼常見的工作光圈範圍在 f/8–f/11。

    標準鏡頭即使靠近拍攝，放大倍率通常不足 1:1，景深相對較深，因此不需要像微距那樣擔心「極淺景深」。在標準鏡頭特寫中，使用大光圈 (f/1.8–f/2.8) 仍能創造淺景深效果，讓背景柔和模糊。但因為放大倍率不高，景深不會像微距那樣縮到幾乎不可用，焦點範圍仍有一定寬度。

Microsoft Copilot

Practice in Python

In Python, the expression int(hexNum, 16) means “convert a hexadecimal string into a decimal integer.”

Curly brackets: dictionaries

In Python, def is the keyword used to define a function.

In Python, a for loop is used to repeat a block of code for each item in a sequence (like a list, tuple, string, or range).

for variable in sequence:

    # code block

variable → takes each value from the sequence one by one.

sequence → the collection you want to loop through.

The code block runs once for each item.

In Python, char isn’t a separate data type like in some other languages (for example, C or Java).

def check_number(n):

    if n > 0:

        return "Positive"

    elif n == 0:

        return "Zero"

    else:

        return "Negative"

print(check_number(5))   # Positive

print(check_number(0))   # Zero

print(check_number(-3))  # Negative

In Python, == is the equality operator. It’s used to check whether two values are equal.

print(2 ** 3)   # 8   (2 raised to the power of 3)

print(5 ** 2)   # 25  (5 squared)

print(10 ** 0)  # 1   (any number to the power of 0 is 1)

甚麼是風骨

……風本身是活動的，而且風碰到物，也會使物活動起來︰風吹在樹葉上，樹葉就搖動了；風吹在水上，水面就起波紋了。所以，「風」是一種動力。在具體作品中，「風」就是一種感發的力量，這是我對「風」字的比較現代的解釋……對於人和動物而言，骨是使之能夠站立起來的一種支柱。那甚麼東西使你的作品挺立起來呢？一個是要有非常真切，實在的內容；再一個就是要有很好的組織結構。所以「風骨」就是由內容思想結合了句法、章法而傳達出來的一種感發的力量。我們講詩詞的結構，說它不僅要有平仄這些外表文字的結構，還要有一個情意的結構……

節錄自葉嘉瑩《知人論詩》

焦距與景深

焦距越長，景深越淺。即使在相同光圈下，長焦鏡頭的可接受清晰範圍更窄。

拍攝距離

為了保持主體大小一致，使用長焦鏡頭時需要站得更遠。這會改變背景與主體的相對比例，使背景看起來更模糊。

壓縮效果 (Compression Effect)

長焦鏡頭會「壓縮」前景與背景的距離感，背景看似更近、更大，模糊也更顯著。

模糊圈 (Circle of Confusion)

長焦鏡頭在相同構圖下，背景的模糊圈會被放大，因此失焦效果更強烈。

Microsoft Copilot

Longer focal lengths (telephoto lenses) magnify the image more than wide-angle lenses. This magnification also enlarges the blur circles of out-of-focus objects.

Aperture: Changing your f-stop adjusts the angle of the light cone. A smaller aperture (higher f-number) makes the cone narrower, reducing the size of the blur circles and increasing the depth of field.

When your subject is very close to the lens, the light rays entering the camera are highly divergent. Even a tiny movement forward or backward from the focus point causes the light cone to widen rapidly. The Circle of Confusion grows large very quickly, resulting in a shallow depth of field.

For subjects far away, the light rays are more parallel. As you move away from the perfect focus plane, the light cone widens much more slowly.

Google AI mode

Bytes Object in Python

In Python, a bytes object is an immutable sequence of integers in the range 0–255, used to represent raw binary data. It’s similar to a string, but instead of characters, it stores bytes.

Immutable: Once created, it cannot be modified (like str).

When you see a b prefix in Python output, it means the object is a bytes literal — raw binary data rather than a regular string.

UTF-8 is the most widely used character encoding today, representing every Unicode character using 1–4 bytes. It is backward-compatible with ASCII, meaning the first 128 characters (like English letters and digits) are encoded exactly the same as ASCII.

Name: Unicode Transformation Format – 8-bit.

Type: Variable-length encoding (1 to 4 bytes per character).

A bytearray in Python is very similar to a bytes object, but with one key difference: it is mutable. That means you can change its contents after creation, unlike bytes which are immutable.

In Python, string slice notation lets you extract parts of a string (substrings).

Hexadecimal (often shortened to “hex”) is a base-16 numbering system. Instead of using only digits 0–9 like decimal (base-10), it uses 16 symbols:

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F

Compact: Easier to read than long binary strings.

Direct mapping: Each hex digit = exactly 4 bits (a “nibble”).

Common uses: Memory addresses, color codes (#FF0000 = red), encoding binary data, debugging.

# Decimal to hex print(hex(255)) # 0xff # Hex to decimal print(int("ff", 16)) # 255 # Binary ↔ Hex print(bin(0xff)) # 0b11111111 print(hex(0b1010)) # 0xa

x in 0xff

In 0xff, the 0x prefix is Python’s (and many other languages’) way of saying: “this number is written in hexadecimal (base‑16)”.

Microsoft Copilot

《燦爛千陽》最終章

約瑟終將重返迦南，何哀傷之有，

茅舍終將成為玫瑰花園，何哀傷之有，

倘有洪水將至，奪走生靈，

挪亞方舟必將在暴風眼中指引你的方向，何哀傷之有。

Why grieve? For Joseph shall return to Canaan.

Why grieve? For the hut shall become a rose garden.

Though the flood may come and sweep away all life,

the Ark of Noah shall guide you through the storm.

---哈菲茲詩句

出生地：約瑟是雅各與拉結的兒子，出生於迦南地（創世記 30:22–24）。迦南是亞伯拉罕家族的應許之地。

被賣到埃及：因兄弟嫉妒，他被賣為奴隸到埃及（創世記 37:28）。這使他離開了迦南。

在埃及崛起：約瑟憑智慧與解夢能力，成為埃及法老的宰相，掌管糧倉（創世記 41:40–41）。

饑荒與家族遷徙：迦南遭遇饑荒，雅各一家被迫前往埃及求糧。約瑟因此與家人重聚，並安排他們定居在埃及的歌珊地（創世記 47:6）。

歸返的象徵：雖然約瑟死於埃及，但他要求後代將自己的骸骨帶回迦南（創世記 50:25），象徵他最終的歸返。

Microsoft Copilot

卡勒德．胡賽尼《燦爛千陽》

李靜宜譯

Khaled Hosseini "A Thousand Splendid Suns"

controversy

diligence: careful work or great effort

facet: a particular part or aspect of something

temptation: the desire to do or have something that you know is bad or wrong

jeopardize: to risk harming or destroying something/somebody

exonerate: to officially state that somebody is not responsible for something that they have been blamed for

construe: to understand the meaning of a word, a sentence or an action in a particular way

implicit: suggested without being directly expressed

controversy: public discussion and argument about something that many people strongly disagree about, think is bad, or are shocked by

travesty: something that does not have the qualities or values that it should have, and as a result is often considered wrong or offensive

"BG computing" typically refers to background computing (processes running behind the scenes, such as data syncing, indexing, or cloud tasks).

in retrospect: thinking about a past event or situation, often with a different opinion of it from the one you had at the time

grateful: feeling or showing thanks because somebody has done something kind for you or has done as you asked

forge: to move forward in a steady but powerful way

artisan: a person who does work that needs a special skill, making things with their hands

accreditation: official approval given by an organization stating that somebody/something has achieved a required standard

notion: an idea, a belief or an understanding of something

far-fetched: ​very difficult to believe

commonplace: ​done very often, or existing in many places, and therefore not unusual

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Strings in Python

In Python, you can concatenate strings using several methods: the + operator for simple joining, join() for efficiency with multiple strings, and formatted approaches like f-strings or format() for readability.

f"My number is: {5}"

F-strings (formatted string literals, introduced in Python 3.6) allow you to embed expressions directly inside a string.

Anything inside {} is evaluated as a Python expression, and its result is converted to a string.

In your case, {5} is just the literal integer 5. Python evaluates it, converts it to "5", and inserts it into the string.

literal: being the most basic meaning of a word or phrase, rather than an extended or poetic meaning

paragraph = """This is a paragraph. It can span multiple lines. No need for explicit newline characters.""" print(paragraph)

Output:

This is a paragraph. It can span multiple lines. No need for explicit newline characters.

In Python, the backslash (\) is an escape character. It signals that the next character has a special meaning or should be treated differently.

\n → newline

the text doesn't stop until it sees \'\'\'

Here, the backslashes are escaping the single quotes so Python doesn’t confuse them with the closing triple quotes. Without the backslashes, Python would think the string ended too early.

Microsoft Copilot

Investigation

summon somebody (to something) | summon somebody to do something (formal) to order somebody to come to you

preamble: an introductory fact or circumstance

rack up: to collect something, such as profits or losses in a business, or points in a competition

flabbergasted: ​extremely surprised and/or shocked

"Crunch through" generally means to persistently and quickly process a large amount of work, data, or obstacles, often under pressure.

sneak: to go somewhere secretly, trying to avoid being seen

accomplice: ​a person who helps another to commit a crime or to do something wrong

far-fetched: difficult to believe and unlikely to be true

contrition: ​the feeling of being very sorry for something bad that you have done

ramification: one of a number of complicated and unexpected results that follow an action or a decision

idle: (of machines, factories, etc.) not in use

peril: serious danger

reimburse: to pay back money to somebody which they have spent or lost

grievous: ​very serious and often causing great pain or difficulty

expunge something (from something) to remove or get rid of something, such as a name, piece of information or a memory, from a book or list, or from your mind

gulp: to swallow, but without eating or drinking something, especially because of a strong emotion such as fear or surprise

succinct: expressed clearly and in a few words

intimidating: ​frightening in a way that makes a person feel less confident

explicit: (of a statement or piece of writing) clear and easy to understand, so that you have no doubt what is meant

verdict: an official judgement made in court or at an inquest

roughshod: to treat somebody badly and not worry about their feelings

regent: a member of a governing board (as of a state university)

standout: a person or thing that is very easy to notice because they are or it is better, more impressive, etc. than others in a group

critique: ​a piece of written criticism of a set of ideas, a work of art, etc.

the advent of something/somebody the coming of an important event, person, invention, etc.

conciliatory: ​having the intention or effect of making angry people calm

blot: ​a spot or dirty mark on something, made by ink (= colored liquid in a pen), etc.

hamper somebody/something to prevent somebody from easily doing or achieving something

pursuit: the act of looking for or trying to get something

admonish: to tell somebody strongly and clearly that you do not approve of something that they have done

parlance: a particular way of using words or expressing yourself, for example one used by a particular group

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Booleans in Python

bool(1j)

“Is the complex number 1j considered True or False?”

- 1j is a complex number with real part 0 and imaginary part 1.

- In Python, any nonzero number (whether int, float, or complex) evaluates to True when converted to bool.

- Only 0, 0.0, or 0j (complex zero) evaluate to False.

A complex number is a number that has two parts:

z=a+bj

• a → the real part (ordinary number line)
• b → the imaginary part (multiplied by j in Python, or i in mathematics)

Key ideas

• The imaginary unit j (or i in math) is defined as \sqrt{-1}.
• Complex numbers extend the real numbers so we can solve equations like x^2+1=0, which has no real solution but has complex solutions x=\pm i.

Visual intuition

You can think of complex numbers as points on a 2D plane:

• The horizontal axis = real part
• The vertical axis = imaginary part
  So 3+4j is the point (3, 4).

bool('')

you’re converting an empty string ('') into a boolean value.

Rule

• Empty sequences/collections (like '', [], {}, ()) evaluate to False.
• Non-empty sequences/collections (like 'hello', [1], (0,)) evaluate to True.

[] → List

• A list is an ordered, mutable sequence of elements.
• You can store mixed types (numbers, strings, other lists).
• Lists allow indexing, slicing, and modification

my_list = [1, 2, 3, "hello"]

my_list.append(4)       # add element

print(my_list[0])       # access first element → 1




"hello" is indeed the fourth element (index 3, since Python starts counting at 0). 




{} → Dictionary (or empty set, depending on usage)

• By default, {} creates an empty dictionary.
• A dictionary stores key-value pairs.
• Keys must be unique and immutable (like strings, numbers, tuples).

my_dict = {"name": "Alice", "age": 25}

print(my_dict["name"])   # → Alice




() → Tuple

• A tuple is an ordered, immutable sequence.
• Similar to a list, but you cannot change its contents after creation.
• Often used for fixed collections of items.

my_tuple = (10, 20, 30) print(my_tuple[1]) # → 20

Data structures include list, tuple, dictionary and set.

explicit: clear and easy to understand, so that you have no doubt what is meant

a = 5

b = 5

if a - b:

    print('a and b are not equal!')

No output will be printed.

weatherIsNice = True

haveUmbrella = False

if not (haveUmbrella or weatherIsNice):

    print('Stay inside')

else:

    print('Go for a walk')

1. weatherIsNice = True

2. haveUmbrella = False

3. Inside the if condition:

-(haveUmbrella or weatherIsNice) → evaluates to (False or True) → True.

-not (True) → False.

4. Since the condition is False, the else block runs.

Logic explained

• The condition says: “If you do not have an umbrella and the weather is not nice, then stay inside.”
• In this case, the weather is nice, so you can go for a walk even without an umbrella.

weatherIsNice = True

haveUmbrella = False

if (not haveUmbrella) and (not weatherIsNice):

    print('Stay inside')

else:

    print('Go for a walk')

Logic

This condition means:

• “Stay inside only if you don’t have an umbrella and the weather is not nice.”
• In this case, the weather is nice, so you go for a walk.

weatherIsNice = True

haveUmbrella = False

if haveUmbrella or weatherIsNice:

    print('Go for a walk')

else:

    print('Stay inside')

Logic

This condition means:

• “If you either have an umbrella or the weather is nice, then go for a walk.”
• Only if both are false (no umbrella and bad weather) will it print “Stay inside.”

Microsoft Copilot

藏書票

藏書票 (Ex Libris) 被譽為「紙上寶石」或「書上蝴蝶」，是一種黏貼在書籍扉頁(書冊封面後的第一頁)上的微型版畫，用來標示書籍的所有權。

Explained mainly by Google Gemini

The Birth of Microsoft

It was Paul who had the next thought: Since we were writing software for microcomputers, how about combining those two words? I agreed. We had our name: Micro-Soft.

sip: ​to drink something, taking a very small amount each time

MITS: Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems

flabbergasted: extremely surprised and/or shocked

stunned: ​very surprised or shocked; showing this

A retrorocket (or retro-rocket) is a small, auxiliary rocket engine designed to produce thrust opposite to a spacecraft’s motion, enabling deceleration, braking, or maneuvering.

Altair is a global technology company providing software and AI solutions for simulation, data analytics, and high-performance computing (HPC).

A flagging economy refers to a nation's financial system that is becoming weaker, slower, or less effective, often characterized by low growth, rising unemployment, or reduced consumer spending.

the brink (of something) if you are on the brink of something, you are almost in a very new, dangerous or exciting situation

bankruptcy: IPA[ˈbæŋkrʌptsi]

prototype (for/of something) the first design of something from which other forms are copied or developed

mock-up: a model or a copy of something, often the same size as it, that is used for testing, or for showing people what the real thing will look like

cobble together: to produce something quickly and without great care or effort, so that it can be used but is not perfect

deluge: a large number of things that happen or arrive at the same time

stuff: to fill a space or container tightly with something

innards: the parts inside a machine

surpass: ​to do or be better than somebody/something

pay off: (informal) (of a plan or an action, especially one that involves risk) to be successful and bring good results

The gamble paid off.

artisanal: made in a traditional way by someone who is skilled with their hands

gravitas: the quality of being serious

behemoth: ​something that is very big and powerful, especially a company or organization

cloak: a thing that hides or covers somebody/something

ominously: ​in a way that suggests that something bad is going to happen in the future

DARPA stands for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

bean counter: a person who works with money, for example as an accountant and who wants to keep strict control of how much money a company spends

sole: only; single

lofty: very high and impressive

rudimentary: dealing with only the most basic matters or ideas

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Google AI overview

Partial metering

Partial metering is especially useful when photographing a backlit subject because it prioritizes exposure on the subject itself, ensuring they aren’t rendered too dark against a bright background. The trade-off is that the background often becomes overexposed, but this can be used creatively.

逆光攝影（Backlit Photography）是指將主光源（通常是太陽或燈光）置於主體正後方的一種佈光方式。這種技巧能為照片增添戲劇感、層次感和一種夢幻般的視覺效果。

Microsoft Copilot

Google Search Engine AI Mode

Numbers in Python

int('100', 2)

means: convert the string '100' into an integer, interpreting it as a binary number.

A floating point error usually refers to the small inaccuracies that occur when computers represent and calculate with decimal numbers.

from decimal import Decimal, getcontext

The decimal module in Python is designed to avoid the floating point errors we just talked about. By using Decimal objects, you can represent numbers exactly as decimal fractions, and you can even control the precision of calculations with getcontext.

getcontext().prec = 4

round(0.1 + 0.2, 1)  # 0.3

Microsoft Copilot

測光

在攝影中，矩陣模式（Matrix Metering），通常也被稱為評價測光（Evaluative Metering）、多區測光或平均測光，是現代數碼相機中最智能化、最常用的測光模式。

Nikon：矩陣測光 (Matrix Metering)

Canon：評價測光 (Evaluative Metering)

Sony：多重測光 (Multi-segment Metering) 

Google AI Overview

Macro lens

微距鏡拍攝時背景模糊的主要原因是景深極淺。鏡頭在近距離對焦時，清晰範圍非常有限，導致主體清晰而背景自然模糊。這種效果是微距攝影的特徵之一。

為什麼微距鏡背景容易模糊？

• 景深淺

微距鏡在近距離拍攝時，即使使用小光圈，景深仍然非常有限。只有焦點附近的區域清晰，其他部分迅速失焦，形成背景模糊。

• 放大倍率高

微距鏡能將物體放大到 1:1 或更高比例，這會進一步壓縮景深，使背景更容易模糊。

• 對焦距離短

微距鏡的最近對焦距離通常只有幾十公分甚至更短，這種近距離拍攝本身就會造成背景失焦。

Macro lenses have an extremely shallow depth of field (DOF), often measured in millimeters or less, because of the high magnification and short focusing distance. This is why only a tiny part of the subject is sharp while the rest quickly falls out of focus.

Microsoft Copilot

Lens Compression

在攝影中，長鏡頭的「壓縮效果」是指透過長焦距鏡頭拍攝時，畫面中遠近物體之間的距離感被「拉近」，使得背景看起來比肉眼所見更靠近主體，整體呈現一種扁平、擁擠的視覺感受。

常見應用場景

善用壓縮效果可以提升照片的藝術張力，常見於以下題材：

人像攝影：讓主體更突出，背景的雜物因「拉近」而變得模糊且緊湊，營造豐富的層次感。

風景攝影：如拍攝「大月亮」或「巨大夕陽」，長鏡頭能讓遠處的天體看起來與前方的建築物或人物比例相近，視覺上非常震撼。

城市建築：將層層疊疊的樓房、街道或人群「擠」在一起，呈現城市生活的繁華與壓迫感。

運動/生態：在無法靠近主體的情況下，捕捉清晰細節的同時保留背景的完整性。

焦距（Focal Length）與景深（Depth of Field, DOF）成反比關係：焦距越長，景深越淺（背景虛化越明顯）；焦距越短，景深越深（前後景都清晰）。

Google AI Overview

Magnum Opus

pricey: expensive

squish (something) if something soft squishes or is squished, it is pushed out of shape when it is pressed

slog: to walk or travel somewhere steadily, with great effort or difficulty

tedious: lasting or taking too long and not interesting

decent: of a good enough standard or quality

conundrum: of a good enough standard or quality

​game (for something/to do something) ready and willing to do something new, difficult or dangerous

slouch: to stand, sit or move in a lazy way, often with your shoulders and head bent forward

Bill Gates spent significant time at Harvard’s Aiken Computation Laboratory during the mid-1970s. As a student, Gates often used the lab’s PDP-10 computer for intensive programming, sometimes racking up hundreds of hours of computer time monthly and, along with Paul Allen, was noted for using university resources for early commercial projects.

emulate something (computing) (of a computer program, etc.) to work in the same way as another computer, etc. and perform the same tasks

the pecking order: (informal, often humorous) the order of importance in relation to one another among the members of a group

idle: (of machines, factories, etc.) not in use

chunk: (informal) a fairly large amount of something

frenzied: ​involving a lot of activity and strong emotions in a way that is often violent or frightening and not under control

sabotage something to prevent something from being successful or being achieved, especially deliberately

bust: (North American English) a thing that is not good

tuck something + adv./prep. to push, fold or turn the ends or edges of clothes, paper, etc. so that they are held in place or look neat

A bootstrap loader is a specialized, small program residing in firmware (ROM/BIOS/UEFI) that initializes hardware and loads the operating system (OS) kernel into memory upon powering on a computer.

magnum opus: ​a large and important work of art, literature or music, especially one that people think is the best work ever produced by that artist, writer, etc.

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Google AI overview

Quiz

An object is any value that lives in memory in Python (numbers, strings, lists, functions, classes, user‑defined things, etc.).

An instance is an object viewed in relation to its class/type, i.e. “this object is an instance of that class.”

In Python, a constructor is the special method that runs automatically when you create an object from a class, usually used to set up initial attributes.

class Person:

    def __init__(self, name, age):  # constructor

        self.name = name

        self.age = age

p = Person("Alice", 30)

Assuming a Dog class exists,

type(Dog('Rover'))

Python evaluates it like this:

- Dog('Rover') creates a new instance (object) of the Dog class, with 'Rover' passed to its constructor.

- type(...) then returns the type of that object.

So the result is the class itself

myList = [[1,2], ['apple'], [3,4,5]]

listLen = len(myList)

- myList is a list containing three sublists:

- [1, 2]

- ['apple']

- [3, 4, 5]

- When you call len(myList), Python counts the top-level elements of myList, not the items inside each sublist.

false = False

- False (capitalized) is a built-in Boolean constant.

- false (lowercase) is just a variable name you created. Python is case-sensitive, so false and False are completely different things

Tuples in Python are immutable — once created, you cannot add, remove, or change their elements.

In Python, while True: means “keep looping forever” because the condition after while is always True.

Here’s the breakdown:

- while is a loop that repeats as long as its condition is true.

- True is a Boolean constant that never changes.

- So while True: creates an infinite loop — the code inside will run endlessly until you manually stop it (like pressing Ctrl + C in a terminal) or break out of it with a break statement.

Microsoft Copilot

Perplexity.AI

植物解剖學

sepal(萼片): a part of a flower, like a leaf, that lies under and supports the petals (= the thin colored parts that make up the head of the flower). Each flower has a ring of sepals called a calyx.

petal(花瓣): a delicate colored part of a flower. The head of a flower is usually made up of several petals around a central part.

calyx(花萼): the ring of small green leaves (called sepals) that protect a flower before it opens

stamen(雄蕊): a small, thin male part in the middle of a flower that produces pollen and is made up of a stalk supporting an anther. The center of each flower usually has several stamens.

gynoecium(雌蕊): a small, thin male part in the middle of a flower that produces pollen and is made up of a stalk supporting an anther. The center of each flower usually has several stamens.

carpel(心皮): the part of a plant in which seeds are produced

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

www.merriam-webster.com

喀布爾日常

就像指南針的針永遠指向北方，男人問罪的手指找到的永遠是女人。永遠都是。好好記住吧，瑪黎安。

卡勒德．胡賽尼《燦爛千陽》李靜宜譯

Factorial

def factorial(num):

    if not isinstance(num, int):

        return None

       

    if num < 0:

        return None

   

    if num == 0:

        return 1

    result = 1

    for num in range(1 , num + 1):

        result *= num

    return result

Microsoft Copilot

Old lens I bought

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens (已停產)

for my entry-level DSLR Canon EOS 1500D

Manufacturing location: Taiwan

Disadvantages:

- Variable aperture (f/3.5–5.6) – not ideal for low-light or professional portrait work.

- Not weather-sealed – less durable in harsh outdoor conditions.

在日本亞馬遜購買，全新。運輸有延誤，未能在這兩日假期內試鏡。

Most important warning: Do not look at the sun or a bright light source through the lens or single-lens reflex camera.

Manual focus adjustments are not possible when the camera is off.

Attach the lens: align the lens's red or white index with the camera's index matching the same color

Red dot → for EF lenses

White square → for EF-S lenses

Once aligned, gently rotate the lens clockwise until it clicks into place.

Microsoft Copilot

Camera and lens Instruction Manual

Not wide enough

On APS-C, the smaller sensor applies a crop factor (≈1.6× for Canon), so the lens behaves like a 29–216mm equivalent on full-frame. On a full-frame body, the same lens gives its true 18–135mm range.

Microsoft Copilot

Exposure Compensation Limit

On the Canon EOS 1500D, exposure compensation in Shutter Priority mode may appear ineffective because the camera automatically adjusts aperture to maintain correct exposure. If the lens reaches its aperture limits, compensation has no visible effect.

ISO Settings: If ISO is fixed, the camera has fewer options to adjust exposure. In Auto ISO, the camera may override compensation by adjusting ISO instead.

How to Make Exposure Compensation Work

- Use Aperture Priority (Av) or Program (P) Mode: These modes give the camera more flexibility to adjust shutter speed or aperture, so compensation is more effective.

- Enable Auto ISO: This allows the camera to adjust ISO when aperture limits are reached, making compensation visible. (咁點解唔自己調 ISO?)

Microsoft Copilot

Prototype

solder: to join pieces of metal or wire with solder

toggle switch: ​an electrical switch that you move up and down or backwards and forwards

avid: very enthusiastic about something (often a hobby)

holy grail: a thing that you try very hard to find or achieve, but never will

add-on: a thing that is added to something else

hitch: a problem or difficulty that causes a short delay

mainframe: a large, powerful computer, usually the center of a network and shared by many users

pore over: to look at or read something very carefully

devise: to invent something new or a new way of doing something

conceive: to form an idea, a plan, etc. in your mind

viable: that can be done; that will be successful

tweak: to make slight changes to a machine, system, etc. to improve it

rocketry: the area of science which deals with rockets and with sending rockets into space; the use of rockets

Traf-O-Data was a 1970s business partnership formed by Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Paul Gilbert to analyze raw traffic data from pneumatic road counters and create reports for traffic engineers. While only moderately successful and ultimately a failure, it was the precursor to Microsoft, providing essential experience with Intel 8008 microprocessors and data processing.

Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems, Inc. (MITS), was an American electronics company founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico that began manufacturing electronic calculators in 1971 and personal computers in 1975.

proclamation: an official statement about something important that is made to the public; the act of making an official statement

clunky: (of technology) old-fashioned; not well designed

prototype: the first design of something from which other forms are copied or developed

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Google AI overview

en.wikipedia.org

Classes and Objects in Python

In Python, there is no difference between using double quotes ("Samson") and single quotes ('Samson') when defining a string. Both represent the same type of string object.

print("Samson")  # Output: Samson

print('Samson')  # Output: Samson

In Python, __init__ is a special method used in classes. It’s often called the constructor, because it runs automatically whenever you create a new object (an instance) from that class.

In Python, class names are typically written with a capitalized first letter.

Class: A blueprint or template. It defines what attributes (data) and methods (behavior) its objects will have.

Object: A specific instance created from that class. Each object has its own data but follows the structure defined by the class.

Microsoft Copilot

Lilas Ikuta - Time Machine

I wish I could return

to the time when I knew nothing.

Even knowing the ending would never change,

I still longed for a little time

to escape and look away.

The single lie you told,

in just an instant,

turned the colorful days we had built

into monotonous black and white.

My eyes grew clouded,

and even everything I saw

lost its light.

But in truth, I lied too.

Shouting that it was for both our sakes,

I left behind an answer

opposite to my heart.

Convincing myself it was the right choice

to deceive myself.

If a time machine truly existed in this world,

if there were magic to erase everything,

I would wish for no memory to remain.

If we could meet again, that alone would be enough.

How many times I wished for that—

even now, I wish to fall in love with you once more.

Your helplessness always made me sad,

yet gave me a happiness

I could never find anywhere else.

Compared to all the months and years we shared,

the ending was too abrupt,

disproportionate to what we had.

The future we sketched together,

I erased piece by piece.

And each time, I wondered—

if another future had existed,

would we be laughing together now?

Such thoughts linger endlessly.

Even if a time machine truly existed,

I could never erase everything.

Not the days we loved so deeply.

If there was love,

then being bound together,

and being torn apart,

all held meaning.

So that someday,

on the day I fall into my final love,

I can say with all my heart:

“It was wonderful to meet you.”

And let this goodbye

be one I can accept.

Next time, I will never

let go of someone’s precious hand.

I hope that someday I’ll understand—

this was a love

that taught me what mattered most.

A journey I was meant to experience.

Similar words

machine: a piece of equipment with many parts that work together to do a particular task. The power used to work a machine may be electricity, steam, gas, etc. or human power.

mechanics [uncountable] the science of movement and force

mechanism: a method or a system for achieving something

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

P 模式

程式自動曝光（Program AE，簡稱 P 模式）是一種半自動攝影模式，相機會根據環境亮度自動設定「光圈」和「快門速度」以獲得平衡曝光。相比全自動模式，P 模式允許攝影師自由調整 ISO、白平衡、閃光燈和曝光補償（EV），適合想專注構圖又需一定自定義功能的場景。

Google AI overview

一字之差

巴基斯坦

• Pakistan
• country in southern Asia bordering the Arabian Sea; originally comprising two parts—West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)—separated by about 1000 miles (1600 kilometers) of northern India; a dominion 1947–56, an Islamic republic since 1956, and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations 1956–72; formed from parts of former British India; capital Islamabad area 307,374 square miles (796,095 square kilometers), population 207,863,000
• www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
• 巴勒斯坦
• Palestine
• Palestine, region of Southwest Asia along the eastern Mediterranean, generally regarded as consisting of the southern coastal area between Egypt, where Asia meets Africa, and Tyre, which in ancient times was the most prominent of the Phoenician city-states.
• www.britannica.com/place

functions in python

parenthesis: IPA[pəˈrenθəsɪs]

parentheses /pəˈrenθəsiːz/

Common Uses of Shift + Enter

- Jupyter Notebook / JupyterLab

- Runs the current cell and moves to the next one.

- Equivalent to executing code in that cell.

- VS Code (with Python extension)

- By default, it can send selected code to the terminal or Python Interactive window.

- Sometimes it runs code in the terminal instead of the interactive window, depending on your settings.

- You can customize this in Keyboard Shortcuts by mapping Shift + Enter to Python: Run Selection/Line in Python Interactive Window.

In Python, the keyword def is used to define a function. Functions are reusable blocks of code that perform a specific task when called

In Python, the return statement is used inside a function to send a value back to the caller. It’s one of the most important ways to control the flow of data in your program.

Examples

Returning a value:

def square(n):

    return n * n

result = square(4)

print(result)  # Output: 16

append something (to something) to add something to the end of a piece of writing

def greet(name):

    print("Hello,", name)

x = greet("Samson")

print(x)  # Output: None

- Use return when you want your function to produce a value that can be used later.

- Skip return when your function’s job is just to perform an action (like printing or updating a file)

- With return → function is like a vending machine (you get something back).

- Without return → function is like a loudspeaker (it just outputs sound, but you don’t get a reusable object).

Mainly from Microsoft Copilot

Feature of Python

Indentation in Python

Unlike many other programming languages, Python uses indentation to define code blocks instead of braces {} or keywords. This makes indentation not just stylistic, but syntactically required.

Microsoft Copilot

Operators in Python

Double asterisk in Python: exponentiation operator

print(10 % 3)   # 1   (because 10 = 3*3 + 1)

print(25 % 7)   # 4   (because 25 = 7*3 + 4)

The operator <= means “less than or equal to.”

Python has two membership operators that test whether a value is present in a sequence (like a list, tuple, string, or set) or a mapping (like a dictionary).

d = {"x": 10, "y": 20}

print("x" in d)        # True

print(10 in d)         # False (10 is a value, not a key)

Microsoft Copilot

Trans fat and cholesterol profile

Trans fats raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and often lower “good” HDL cholesterol, creating one of the worst possible cholesterol profiles for your heart and blood vessels. Even small amounts in the diet are linked to higher rates of heart attack and death from heart disease.

Head‑to‑head trials suggest trans fats disturb the cholesterol profile at least as much as, and in some ways more than, cholesterol‑raising saturated fats. Unlike most saturated fats, trans fats both increase LDL and lower HDL, which makes their overall effect on the LDL/HDL ratio particularly harmful. Because of this pattern, expert groups describe trans fats as the most damaging dietary fat per gram for cardiovascular health.

Deep Research using Perplexity.ai

拉之眼

The Eye of Ra is a powerful ancient Egyptian symbol representing the sun god Ra's protective yet destructive force. While it shares a similar "wedjat" design with the Eye of Horus, the Eye of Ra is traditionally depicted as the right eye and symbolizes solar energy, royal authority, and divine retribution.

Google AI overview

Data structures of Python

Lists are ordered collections. Sets are unordered collections.

A tuple is one of the built-in data types used to store collections of items. It’s similar to a list but with a key difference: tuples are immutable, meaning once created, their elements cannot be changed, added, or removed.

immutable: that cannot be changed; that will never change

Similarities of sets and dictionaries:

• Both can be modified after creation
• Both are defined with curly brackets
• Both are unordered collections

Source mainly from Microsoft Copilot

v > c

Tachyons are hypothetical subatomic particles that always travel faster than the speed of light. Proposed to exist within the framework of special relativity, they possess imaginary mass and would speed up as they lose energy, requiring infinite energy to slow down to light speed. No experimental evidence confirms their existence.

Google AI Overview

星芒效果

要拍攝出漂亮的星芒效果，核心技巧是使用小光圈（通常為 f/11-f/16）對點光源進行拍攝。將相機固定在三腳架上，結合低 ISO 和長曝光，可以使夜景、路燈或太陽的單點光線發散成清晰的放射狀線條。

Google AI overview

Large improvement of hardware

The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition is the premier, notoriously challenging mathematics competition for undergraduate students in the U.S. and Canada, held annually on the first Saturday of December.

pant: to breathe quickly with short breaths, usually with your mouth open, because you have been doing some physical exercise, or because it is very hot

slush: partly melted snow that is usually dirty

toggle switch: an electrical switch that you move up and down or backwards and forwards

full-blown: having all the characteristics of somebody/something; fully developed

exploit: exploit something to use something well in order to gain as much from it as possible

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Something basic

Single equal sign (=) is an assignment operator.

Double equal signs (==) are used as a comparison operator.

Microsoft Copilot

"宝石" 伶 feat. 幾田りら

I made up my mind not to cry

I knew it all along

There'd be a time we'd eventually part

Memories send so much loneliness

Into my heart

Should have been sick of

Our foolish exchanges long ago but

I kind of miss it now

As if you've forgotten how it ended last time

Your regular smile

Really suits you

We're just continually searching

For the one and only version of ourselves

Like a star that floats up in the sky by day

It's there, even if it can't be seen

We've had it in our possession all along

This invaluable thing

Be continuing to improve upon it, one day

We'll find it

The song I memorized repeatedly

The melody that's seeped into me

Circulates through my body

I'll burn them all into memory

That irreplaceable

Place where I'm meant to return

Hurt at times

Bringing together that have yet to heal

We talked until morning

To bodies that felt a little lighter

We poured in hope

And kept going for it, didn't we

I'll be leaving here tonight

Leaving behind this loneliness I've accumulated

Don't have to put everything into words

I can tell when I see you nod

The times we've spent together up 'til now

The light that shined upon us

No one can shut it out

It'll be okay

I started out alone

And today, I walk on my own again

But in this baggage I shoulder

Are our days spent together, like gemstones

I'm no longer alone

This light that continues to shine in my heart

Is without a doubt, you

Forever and ever

Greeting

"How are you" and "how are you doing" are common, casual greetings inquiring about someone's wellbeing, often answered with "I'm fine" or "Good, thanks". "How do you do" is a formal, old-fashioned greeting, usually used upon first introduction, and is properly answered by repeating the phrase back, rather than answering the question.

Google AI overview

Python Course Quiz

a = [1,2,3]   # 'a' points to the list [1,2,3]

b = a            # 'b' now points to the same list as 'a'

a = [4,5,6]   # 'a' is reassigned to a new list [4,5,6]

Importantly, this does not change b; b still points to the original [1,2,3]. 

Microsoft Copilot

brainstorming

mystique: the quality of being mysterious or secret that makes somebody/something seem interesting or attractive

A corrupter (or corruptor) is a person or thing that causes moral decay, dishonesty, or the rotting/spoiling of something.

sober: not drunk (= not affected by alcohol)

chaperone: (in the past) an older woman who, on social occasions, took care of a young woman who was not married

dewdrop: a small drop of dew or other liquid

irrevocably: in a way that cannot be changed

forage (for something) (of a person) to search for something, especially using the hands

exploit something: to use something well in order to gain as much from it as possible

sift: to examine something very carefully in order to decide what is important or useful or to find something important

mocktail: a cocktail (= mixed drink) that does not contain any alcohol

glitch: a small problem or fault that stops something working successfully

tedious: ​lasting or taking too long and not interesting

doggedly: ​in a way that shows that you are determined and do not give up easily

plead: to ask somebody for something in a very strong and serious way

tollbooth: a small building by the side of a road where you pay to drive on a road, go over a bridge, etc.

inclination: a feeling that makes you want to do something

skeptically: ​in a way that shows doubts that a claim or statement is true or that something will happen

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

dictionary.cambridge.org

Final Quiz

In C++, the term insertion operation usually refers to adding elements into data structures (like arrays, vectors, lists, sets, or maps) or inserting output into streams.

concatenate: to put things together as a connected series

#include <iostream>

#include <fstream>

#include <string>

using namespace std;

int main() {

    ifstream inputFile("example.txt"); // open file for reading

    if (!inputFile) {

        cerr << "Error opening file!" << endl;

        return 1;

    }

    string line;

    while (getline(inputFile, line)) { // read line by line

        cout << line << endl;          // print each line

    }

    inputFile.close(); // close the file

    return 0;

}

Microsoft Copilot

Poker

lottery: a way of raising money for a government, charity, etc. by selling tickets that have different numbers on them that people have chosen. Numbers are then chosen by chance and the people who have those numbers on their tickets win prizes.

slob: a person who is lazy and dirty or untidy

stake: something that you risk losing, especially money, when you try to predict the result of a race, game, etc., or when you are involved in an activity that can succeed or fail

grungy: dirty in an unpleasant way

Seven-card stud, also known as Seven-Toed Pete or Down-The-River, is a variant of stud poker.

khakis: a strong yellow-brown cloth, used especially for making military uniforms

stow: to put something in a safe place

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Anubis, ancient Egyptian god

Anubis, ancient Egyptian god of funerary practices and care of the dead, represented by a jackal or the figure of a man with the head of a jackal. In the Early Dynastic period and the Old Kingdom, he enjoyed a preeminent (though not exclusive) position as lord of the dead, but he was later overshadowed by Osiris. His role is reflected in such epithets as “He Who Is upon His Mountain” (i.e., the necropolis), “Lord of the Sacred Land,” “Foremost of the Westerners,” and “He Who Is in the Place of Embalming.”

阿努比斯，古埃及掌管葬禮儀式與亡者照護的神祇，以豺狼或人身豺狼頭的形象呈現。在早王朝時期與古王國時期，他享有至高（雖非唯一）的地位，為亡者之主，但後來逐漸被歐西里斯所取代。他的角色反映在一些尊號中，如「山上之神」（即墓地）、「聖地之主」、「西方人之首」以及「在防腐之所者」。

His particular concern was with the funerary cult and the care of the dead; hence, he was reputed to be the inventor of embalming, an art he first employed on the corpse of Osiris. In his later role as the “conductor of souls,” he was sometimes identified by the Greco-Roman world with the Greek Hermes in the composite deity Hermanubis.

他特別關注葬禮崇拜與亡者的照護；因此，他被傳說為防腐術的發明者，並首先將此技藝運用於歐西里斯的屍體。在他後來作為「靈魂引導者」的角色中，希臘羅馬世界有時將他與希臘神赫密斯相結合，形成合成神赫曼努比斯。

Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Anubis

Anubis is the guardian of mummies and cemeteries. He is responsible for weighing the heart during the judgement after death and guiding the deceased along the path to the afterlife.

阿努比斯是木乃伊與墓地的守護者。他負責在死後審判時秤量心臟，並引導亡者走向通往來世的道路。

Yan, H. Y. (2025). Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums. The Hong Kong Palace Museum.

The human heart was balanced on the scale against Ma’at’s feather of truth. If the heart weighed more than the feather, the person’s identity would essentially cease to exist: the hybrid deity Ammit would eat the heart, and the soul would be destroyed. But if the heart weighed the same as the feather, the deceased would pass through the underworld (Duat) and into the Afterlife.

人類的心臟在天秤上與瑪亞特的真理之羽相衡。如果心臟比羽毛更重，這個人的身份便會徹底消失：混合神阿米特會吞食心臟，靈魂也將被毀滅。但若心臟與羽毛重量相同，亡者便能通過冥界（杜阿特），進入來世。

Source: https://egyptianmuseum.org/deities-Anubis

Translated with Microsoft Copilot and Edited

Exception handling in C++

Exception handling in C++ is a structured way to detect and manage runtime errors using try, catch, and throw keywords, allowing programs to recover gracefully instead of crashing. It helps deal with issues like division by zero, invalid memory access, or file (input and output) I/O failures.

try block

    Contains code that might generate an exception.

    Example: risky operations like division or file handling.

throw keyword

    Used to signal that an error has occurred.

    Example: throw "File not found";

catch block

    Defines how to handle the exception.

    Example: catch (const char* msg) { cout << msg; }




#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main() {

    try {

        int x = 10, y = 0;

        if (y == 0) {

            throw runtime_error("Division by zero error!");

        }

        cout << x / y;

    }

    catch (runtime_error &e) {

        cout << "Exception caught: " << e.what() << endl;

    }

    return 0;

}

Output:
Exception caught: Division by zero error!




In C++, the e.what() method is used with exceptions that are derived from the standard exception class std::exception.

What it does

• std::exception defines a virtual function what() that returns a C-style string (const char*) describing the error.
• When you catch an exception object (like std::runtime_error, std::out_of_range, etc.), calling e.what() gives you a human-readable message about what went wrong.

In C++, array index out-of-bounds occurs when you try to access an element outside the valid range of an array.

In C++, the symbol || is the logical OR operator.

    It evaluates two boolean expressions (conditions).

    The result is true if at least one of the conditions is true.

    The result is false only if both conditions are false.

Always catch exceptions by reference (usually const &) to:

    Avoid object slicing.

    Preserve polymorphic behavior (what() works correctly for derived classes).

    Improve performance (no extra copy).

Microsoft Copilot

Threatening Dream

dread: causing fear

gambit: a thing that somebody does, or something that somebody says at the beginning of a situation or conversation, that is intended to give them some advantage

Monomaniacal is an adjective describing an obsessive, fanatical, or extreme preoccupation with one single subject, idea, or cause to the exclusion of all others.

cram (for something) (North American English, informal or British English, old-fashioned) to learn a lot of things in a short time, in preparation for an exam

perilous: very dangerous

Combinatorial refers to the branch of mathematics (combinatorics) concerned with counting, arranging, and selecting discrete, finite elements.

nerd: ​a person who is boring, stupid and not fashionable

revert: to reply

nonchalance: ​a calm and relaxed way of behaving; behavior that gives the impression you are not feeling worried

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Google AI overview

Osiris, God of Afterlife

Who Osiris Was

• Osiris started as a local fertility god in Lower Egypt (Busiris).
• By around 2400 BCE, he became both:
• God of fertility (life, crops, growth).
• God of the dead (embodiment of the deceased king).
• Egyptian kingship tied into this:

• The dead king became Osiris.
• The living king was Horus, Osiris’s son.
• Isis was Osiris’s wife and Horus’s mother.
• Seth was Osiris’s brother and murderer.

歐西里斯是誰

• 歐西里斯最初是下埃及布西里斯的地方生育神。
• 約在西元前2400年，他同時成為：
• 生育之神（掌管生命、農作物、成長）。
• 死亡之神（象徵已逝的國王）。
• 埃及王權與此結合：

• 已逝的國王化為歐西里斯。
• 在世的國王是荷魯斯，歐西里斯之子。
• 伊西斯是歐西里斯的妻子，也是荷魯斯的母親。
• 賽特是歐西里斯的兄弟與殺害者。

The Myth of Osiris

• According to Plutarch, Seth killed Osiris, cut his body into 14 pieces, and scattered them across Egypt.
• Isis and Nephthys found and buried the pieces (except the phallus), reviving Osiris.
• Osiris then ruled the underworld as judge of the dead.
• Horus fought Seth, avenged his father, and became king of Egypt.

歐西里斯的神話

• 根據希臘作家普魯塔克的記載，賽特殺害歐西里斯，將其屍體切成十四塊並散佈埃及各地。
• 伊西斯與其姊妹奈芙蒂斯找回並埋葬了所有部分（除了陽具），使歐西里斯復生。
• 從此歐西里斯成為冥界的統治者與審判者。
• 荷魯斯擊敗賽特，為父報仇，並成為埃及的新王。

Osiris’s Role in Life and Death

• Osiris wasn’t just ruler of the dead—he symbolized life itself:
• Fertility of crops.
• The Nile’s annual flood.
• Around 2000 BCE, Egyptians believed all people became linked with Osiris at death, not just kings.
• This didn’t mean resurrection, but renewal of life in the afterlife and through descendants.

歐西里斯在生命與死亡中的角色

• 歐西里斯不僅是死後的統治者，他象徵著生命本身：
• 農作物的肥沃。
• 尼羅河的年度氾濫。
• 約在西元前2000年，埃及人相信所有人死後都與歐西里斯相連，而不僅僅是國王。
• 這並不意味著復活，而是生命的更新，在來世與後代中延續。

Worship and Festivals

• Osiris’s cult spread widely, merging with other fertility and underworld gods.
• Festivals in the Middle Kingdom (1938–1630 BCE) included:
• Processions and night rituals at Abydos.
• Public participation and burials along the processional road.
• Annual festivals reenacted Osiris’s fate:

• “Osiris gardens” were made—molds shaped like Osiris, filled with Nile soil and grain.
• Sprouting plants symbolized Osiris’s strength and renewal.

崇拜與祭典

• 歐西里斯的信仰廣泛傳播，並與其他生育與冥界神明融合。
• 中王國時期（西元前1938–1630年）的祭典包括：
• 在阿拜多斯舉行的遊行與夜間儀式。
• 民眾可參與，並在遊行道路旁埋葬或立紀念碑。
• 每年祭典重演歐西里斯的命運：

• 建造「歐西里斯花園」—— 歐西里斯形狀的模具，填入尼羅河水與穀物。
• 穀物萌芽象徵歐西里斯的力量與更新。

Later Connections

• At Memphis, Osiris was linked with the sacred bull Apis → Osiris-Apis, later becoming Serapis in Hellenistic times.
• Greeks and Romans connected him with Dionysus.
• He was also identified with Soker, another god of the dead.

後期的聯繫

• 在孟菲斯，歐西里斯與神聖公牛阿比斯結合 → 歐西里斯-阿比斯，後來演變為希臘化時期的塞拉比斯。
• 希臘與羅馬人將歐西里斯與酒神狄奧尼索斯相連。
• 歐西里斯也與孟菲斯的死神索克同化。

Depictions

• Oldest images date to ~2300 BCE.
• In the New Kingdom (1539–1075 BCE), Osiris was shown as:

• A mummy with arms crossed.
• Holding a crook and flail (symbols of kingship).
• Wearing the atef crown (white crown of Upper Egypt + two ostrich feathers).

歐西里斯的形象

• 最早的形象約在西元前2300年。
• 新王國時期（西元前1539–1075年），歐西里斯被描繪為：

• 木乃伊，雙臂交叉於胸前。
• 一手持牧杖，一手持鞭。
• 頭戴阿特夫冠（上埃及白冠加兩根鴕鳥羽毛）。

Original Information: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Osiris-Egyptian-god

Summarized, simplified and translated with Microsoft Copilot and edited

Exposure

在手動模式 (Manual Mode) 下，曝光補償 (Exposure Compensation) 功能通常不會直接使用，因為您完全控制光圈、快門和 ISO。

〈有牌爛仔〉

雙十暴動是1956年10月10至12日間在香港九龍及荃灣等地發生的一次騷亂。事件的導火線是徙置事務處職員在中華民國國慶10月10日移除懸掛在李鄭屋徙置區的中華民國國旗和大型「雙十」徽牌。

騷動衝着國共力量在港的矛盾，由雙十掛國旗的糾紛觸發，再引來連串駭人的暴力事件。衝突結果帶來六十人死、四百四十三人傷。

Grammar in Use

Wrong: When did this bridge being built?

Correct: When was this bridge built?

Interviews

whisk somebody/something + adv./prep. to take somebody/something somewhere very quickly and suddenly

fabled: ​famous and often talked about, but rarely seen

A DEC computer refers to machines made by the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), a pioneering American company famous for revolutionizing computing with affordable minicomputers.

cling: to hold on tightly to somebody/something

"Bonneville" refers to a significant early programming job Bill Gates and Paul Allen had for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) in North Bonneville, Washington, where they debugged software for the Pacific Northwest's electrical grid control system for defense contractor Thompson Ramo Wooldridge (TRW).

awed: showing or feeling respect and slight fear; extremely impressed by somebody/something

bask (in something) to enjoy sitting or lying in the heat or light of something, especially the sun

hone: to develop and improve something, especially a skill, over a period of time

veer: to change direction suddenly

angst: a feeling of great worry about a situation, or about your life

Plymouth was a popular American car brand by Chrysler, launched in 1928 to offer affordable cars against Ford and Chevy, becoming known for reliable models like the Valiant and iconic muscle cars.

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Google AI overview