| Acknowledgements | 第1-5页 |
| Abstract | 第5-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第7-8页 |
| Contents | 第8-10页 |
| List of Figures and Tables | 第10-11页 |
| List of Abbreviations | 第11-12页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第12-15页 |
| ·Origin of the study | 第12页 |
| ·Objectives and significance of the study | 第12-13页 |
| ·Data Source | 第13-14页 |
| ·Organization of the Thesis | 第14-15页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第15-23页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Probing Speech Acts | 第15-18页 |
| ·Speech Acts Theory | 第15-17页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Probing Speech Acts Abroad | 第17页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Probing Speech Acts at Home | 第17-18页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Talk Show | 第18-22页 |
| ·Definition and History of Talk Show | 第18-20页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Talk Show Abroad | 第20-21页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Talk Show at Home | 第21-22页 |
| ·Summary | 第22-23页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第23-30页 |
| ·Trichotomy of Speech Acts and Classification of Illocutionary Acts | 第23-25页 |
| ·Felicity Conditions for Performing a Speech Act | 第25-26页 |
| ·Politeness Theory | 第26-29页 |
| ·Summary | 第29-30页 |
| Chapter Four An analysis of Probing Speech Act in Late Show with DavidLetterman | 第30-57页 |
| ·Delimitation of Probing Speech acts | 第30-32页 |
| ·Formal Realization of Probing Speech Act | 第32-41页 |
| ·Phonetic Features of the Probing Speech Act | 第33-34页 |
| ·Lexical Features of the Probing Speech Act | 第34-36页 |
| ·Syntactic Features of the Probing Speech Act | 第36-40页 |
| ·Discoursal Features of the Probing Speech Act | 第40-41页 |
| ·Semantic realization of probing speech act | 第41-47页 |
| ·Sentences Concerning the Speaker | 第42-44页 |
| ·Sentences Concerning the Hearer | 第44-45页 |
| ·Sentences Concerning the Act | 第45-47页 |
| ·Pragmatic Interpretation of Probing Speech Act | 第47-50页 |
| ·Probing Act Realized by Interrogative | 第48页 |
| ·Probing Act Realized by Assertive | 第48-49页 |
| ·Probing Act Realized by Directive | 第49-50页 |
| ·Politeness Strategies of Probing Speech Act | 第50-56页 |
| ·Positive Politeness Strategies of Probing Speech Act | 第52-53页 |
| ·Negative Strategy of Probing Speech Act | 第53-55页 |
| ·Off-record Strategies of Probing Speech Act | 第55-56页 |
| ·Summary | 第56-57页 |
| Chapter Five Conclusion | 第57-60页 |
| ·Major Findings of the Study | 第57-58页 |
| ·Implications of the Study | 第58页 |
| ·Limitations of the Study | 第58页 |
| ·Suggestions for Further Research | 第58-60页 |
| Works Cited | 第60-64页 |
| Publications | 第64页 |
