| Acknowledgments | 第4-5页 |
| Abstract | 第5-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第7-10页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第10-14页 |
| 1.1 Motivation of the Present Study | 第10-11页 |
| 1.2 Purpose and Significance of the Study | 第11-12页 |
| 1.3 Organization of the Thesis | 第12-14页 |
| Chapter 2 Literature Review | 第14-29页 |
| 2.1 Voice and the Passive Voice | 第14-15页 |
| 2.2 Previous Studies on the Passive Voice | 第15-25页 |
| 2.2.1 Previous Studies on the Passive Voice in Theories | 第15-22页 |
| 2.2.2 Previous Studies on the Passive Voice in Practice | 第22-25页 |
| 2.3 Functions of English Passive voice | 第25-27页 |
| 2.3.1 Ideational Function | 第25-26页 |
| 2.3.2 Interpersonal Function | 第26-27页 |
| 2.3.3 Textual Function | 第27页 |
| 2.4 Redefining of the Passive Voice | 第27-29页 |
| Chapter 3 Theoretical Basis | 第29-40页 |
| 3.1 Two Important Means to Achieve Textual Function | 第29-37页 |
| 3.1.1 Theory of Metafunctions of Halliday | 第29页 |
| 3.1.2 Information Structure | 第29-31页 |
| 3.1.3 Thematic Structure | 第31-37页 |
| 3.2 Features of Legislative Language | 第37-38页 |
| 3.3 Summary | 第38-40页 |
| Chapter 4 A Case Study of the Role of Passive Voice in Achieving Textual Function in English Legislative Texts | 第40-58页 |
| 4.1 Data Collection and Research Methodology | 第40-41页 |
| 4.2 Distribution of the Passive Voice in the Present Study | 第41-42页 |
| 4.3 Distribution of the TP Patterns in the Present Study | 第42-44页 |
| 4.4 Realization of the Textual Function through the Passive Voice | 第44-57页 |
| 4.4.1 Rearranging the Information Distribution in Legislative Texts | 第44-50页 |
| 4.4.2 Manipulating the Theme and Constructing Characterized TP Patterns in English Legislative Texts | 第50-57页 |
| 4.5 Summary | 第57-58页 |
| Chapter 5 Conclusion | 第58-60页 |
| 5.1 Major Findings | 第58-59页 |
| 5.2 Research Limitations | 第59页 |
| 5.3 Suggestions for Future Study | 第59-60页 |
| References | 第60-63页 |
