| Acknowledgements | 第1-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第6-7页 |
| Abstract | 第7-10页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第10-17页 |
| ·Leading to the Present Study | 第10-12页 |
| ·Objectives of the Present Study | 第12-14页 |
| ·Need for the Present Study | 第14页 |
| ·Significance of the Present Study | 第14-15页 |
| ·Overview of the Present Study | 第15-17页 |
| Chapter 2 Theoretical Background | 第17-26页 |
| ·Terminological Issues | 第17-20页 |
| ·Mitigation | 第17-18页 |
| ·Mitigator | 第18-20页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Mitigator | 第20-24页 |
| ·The Taxonomy of Mitigators | 第21-22页 |
| ·The Acquisition of Mitigators | 第22-24页 |
| ·Summary | 第24-26页 |
| Chapter 3 Research Methodology | 第26-35页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第26-27页 |
| ·Research Subjects | 第27-28页 |
| ·Research Instruments | 第28-32页 |
| ·Data Collection Procedures | 第32-33页 |
| ·Data Analysis Procedures | 第33-35页 |
| Chapter 4 Research Findings and Discussion | 第35-74页 |
| ·Mitigators Used by Chinese EFL Learners: Types and Frequencies | 第35-58页 |
| ·Locutionary Mitigators | 第35-44页 |
| ·Illocutionary Mitigators | 第44-56页 |
| ·Perlocutionary Mitigators | 第56-57页 |
| ·Testing for Significant Difference between Different Mitigators by Chinese EFLLearners | 第57-58页 |
| ·Co-occurrence of Mitigators and Face Threatening Acts (FTAs): Matching Picture | 第58-69页 |
| ·Face-threatening Assertives and EFL Learners’ Use of Mitigators | 第59-62页 |
| ·Face-threatening Directives and EFL Learners’ Use of Mitigators | 第62-63页 |
| ·Face-threatening Commissives and EFL Learners’ Use of Mitigators | 第63-65页 |
| ·Face-threatening Expressives and EFL Learners’ Use of Mitigators | 第65-67页 |
| ·Testing of Significant Difference between Different FTAs | 第67-69页 |
| ·Comparison of Mitigators in Request Used by Chinese EFL Learners and NativeEnglish Speakers | 第69-74页 |
| Chapter 5 Conclusion | 第74-76页 |
| Works Cited | 第76-80页 |
| Appendix | 第80-86页 |
| 攻读硕士学位期间发表的论文和取得的科研成果 | 第86页 |
