speculation n. 推测 speculate , predict; speculation: without a complete knowledge /
predict: based on solid foundation.
I can predict in the near future there will be new type of mobilephone that is visible
mobilephone.
speculate about/on sth. in stocks/ speculator投机者
literally ad. 确实的 literal / literature / literate / illiterate / illiteracy文盲 / antiilliteracy扫盲
literal translation 直译法 free translation /paraphrase , I am here today and gone tomorrow.
word to word 逐字翻译法(直译法) strict
The children are literally hungry. 孩子们真的饿了。(ambiguous sentence歧义句)
话说梦的本质
It is fairly clear that the sleeping period must have some function, and because there is so much of it the function would seem to be important. Speculations about its nature have been going on for literally thousands of years, and one odd finding that makes the problem puzzling is that it looks very much as if sleeping is not simply a matter of giving the body a rest.' Rest ', in terms of muscle relaxation and so on, can be achieved by a brief period lying, or even sitting down. The body's
tissues are self-repairing and self-restoring to a degree, and function best when more or less continuously active. In fact a basic amount of movement occurs during sleep which is specifically concerned with preventing muscle inactivity.