| Acknowledgements | 第1-4页 |
| Abstract | 第4-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第6-8页 |
| List of Tables | 第8-15页 |
| List of Figures | 第15-11页 |
| List of Abbreviations | 第11-15页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第15-24页 |
| ·Background of the Study | 第15-17页 |
| ·Purpose of the Study | 第17-18页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第18页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第18-19页 |
| ·Definition of Some Key Terms | 第19-22页 |
| ·Text and texture | 第19-21页 |
| ·Theme,rheme and thematic progression | 第21-22页 |
| ·Structure of the Thesis | 第22-24页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第24-40页 |
| ·Classification of Theme in Different Perspectives | 第24-30页 |
| ·On the basis of function-textual theme,interpersonal theme and topical theme | 第24-27页 |
| ·The textual theme | 第24-25页 |
| ·The Interpersonal theme | 第25-27页 |
| ·The Topical theme | 第27页 |
| ·On the basis of complexity-simple theme,multiple theme and clausal theme | 第27-29页 |
| ·Simple themes | 第27-28页 |
| ·Multiple themes | 第28-29页 |
| ·Clausal Themes | 第29页 |
| ·On the basis of markedness-marked theme and unmarked theme | 第29-30页 |
| ·Thematic Structure and Information Structure | 第30-32页 |
| ·The Functions of Theme in a Text | 第32-33页 |
| ·Some Problems in Theme Analysis | 第33-38页 |
| ·Existential there as Theme | 第33-35页 |
| ·WH-interrogatives | 第35-37页 |
| ·Predicated themes | 第37-38页 |
| ·The Application of Thematic Progression in Text Analysis | 第38-40页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第40-49页 |
| ·Thematic Progression Patterns Proposed by Different Scholars | 第40-45页 |
| ·Comments of TP Patterns Provided by the above Mentioned Scholars | 第45-46页 |
| ·The Model Used in the Present Research | 第46-49页 |
| Chapter Four Research Design and Methodology | 第49-62页 |
| ·Review of the Research question | 第49页 |
| ·Research method | 第49-50页 |
| ·Data collection and sampling | 第50-52页 |
| ·Data collection | 第50-51页 |
| ·Data sampling | 第51-52页 |
| ·Research procedure | 第52-62页 |
| ·Criteria for the identification of Theme | 第52-56页 |
| ·Theme in declarative sentences | 第52-54页 |
| ·Theme in non-declarative clause | 第54-56页 |
| ·Comments on thematic progression as an approach in text analysis | 第56-58页 |
| ·Advantages of applying thematic progression in text analysis | 第56-57页 |
| ·Limitations of the Thematic progression patterns as a useful means in text analysis | 第57-58页 |
| ·Analysis procedures | 第58-62页 |
| Chapter Five Discussion | 第62-71页 |
| ·Presentation of Results and Discussion | 第62-67页 |
| ·The distinctive theme features of MA theses writing between Chinese English major postgraduate and English natives | 第63-65页 |
| ·The distinctive thematic progressions of MA theses writing between Chinese English major postgraduate and English natives | 第65-67页 |
| ·Anlysis of a Chapter Choosed from the Data | 第67-71页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion Limitation and Implication for Future Study | 第71-79页 |
| ·Conclusion | 第71-74页 |
| ·Implications | 第74-77页 |
| ·Implications for Intercultural Communication | 第74-75页 |
| ·Implications for Contrastive Text Studies | 第75-76页 |
| ·Implications for EFL Pedagogy | 第76-77页 |
| ·Limitations of this study | 第77页 |
| ·Suggestions for Future Study | 第77-79页 |
| Bibliography | 第79-83页 |
| Appendix | 第83-84页 |
