| Acknowledgements | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract in English | 第6-8页 |
| Abstract in Chinese | 第8-12页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第12-17页 |
| ·Background of the Study | 第12-13页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第13-15页 |
| ·Overall Structure of the Thesis | 第15-17页 |
| Chapter 2 Literature Review | 第17-40页 |
| ·Context | 第17-20页 |
| ·Traditional Context | 第17-19页 |
| ·The Defects of Traditional Context | 第19-20页 |
| ·Cognitive Context | 第20-32页 |
| ·The Definition of Cognitive Context | 第21-22页 |
| ·The Features of Cognitive Context | 第22-24页 |
| ·The Components of Cognitive Context | 第24-27页 |
| ·The Construction of Cognitive Context | 第27-32页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Humor | 第32-36页 |
| ·The Definition of Humor | 第33-34页 |
| ·The Classification of Humor | 第34-35页 |
| ·The Functions of Humor | 第35-36页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Verbal Humor | 第36-37页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Humor in Sitcom | 第37-40页 |
| Chapter 3 Methodology | 第40-42页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第40页 |
| ·Data Collection and Analysis | 第40-42页 |
| ·Data Collection | 第40-41页 |
| ·Data Analysis | 第41-42页 |
| Chapter 4 A Cognitive Context-based Analysis of Verbal Humor Interpretation in Friends | 第42-60页 |
| ·The Verbal Humor Interpretation via Three Kinds of Knowledge in Cognitive Context. | 第43-52页 |
| ·Interpretation of Verbal Humor via Linguistic Knowledge | 第43-47页 |
| ·Interpretation of Verbal Humor via Situational Knowledge | 第47-49页 |
| ·Interpretation of Verbal Humor via Background Knowledge | 第49-52页 |
| ·The Process of Verbal Humor Interpretation in Construction of Cognitive Context | 第52-60页 |
| ·Pattern Recognition of Verbal Humor Interpretation | 第54-56页 |
| ·Schema Activation of Verbal Humor Interpretation | 第56-57页 |
| ·Knowledge Selection of Verbal Humor Interpretation | 第57-59页 |
| ·Hypothesis Formation of Verbal Humor Interpretation | 第59-60页 |
| Chapter 5 Conclusion | 第60-65页 |
| ·Major Research Findings | 第60-62页 |
| ·Limitations of the Research | 第62-64页 |
| ·Suggestions for Further Studies | 第64-65页 |
| References | 第65-68页 |
