| Acknowledgements | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第7-10页 |
| 1. Introduction | 第10-11页 |
| 2. Literature Review | 第11-25页 |
| ·Modality and Modal Auxiliary | 第11-12页 |
| ·Classification of Modality | 第12-14页 |
| ·Different Approaches to Modal Auxiliary | 第14-22页 |
| ·Previous Studies of Modal Auxiliary | 第22-25页 |
| 3. Theoretical Framework | 第25-33页 |
| ·Overview of Relevance Theory | 第25-26页 |
| ·Cognitive Environment and Mutual Manifestness | 第26-28页 |
| ·Ostensive-inferential Communication | 第28-30页 |
| ·Relevance and Optimal Relevance | 第30-33页 |
| 4. Modal Auxiliaries in Linguistic Articles | 第33-38页 |
| ·Characteristics of Linguistic Articles | 第33页 |
| ·Linguistic Features of Modal Auxiliary | 第33-35页 |
| ·Linguistic Features of CAN | 第35-36页 |
| ·Modal Auxiliary CAN in Linguistic Articles | 第36-38页 |
| 5. Cognitive-pragmatic Approach to CAN | 第38-58页 |
| ·Data Description | 第38-39页 |
| ·Research Method | 第39-40页 |
| ·Data Analysis | 第40-42页 |
| ·Cognitive-pragmatic Analysis of CAN in Linguistic Articles | 第42-54页 |
| ·Functions of CAN in Different Parts of Linguistic Articles | 第54-56页 |
| ·Summary | 第56-58页 |
| 6. Pragmatic Functions of CAN in Linguistic Articles | 第58-65页 |
| ·Increasing Readers’ Concentration | 第58-60页 |
| ·Being Flexible and Negotiable | 第60-62页 |
| ·Being Polite and Face-saving | 第62-65页 |
| 7. Conclusion | 第65-68页 |
| ·Relevance Theory and the Modal Auxiliary CAN | 第65页 |
| ·Findings of the Present Study | 第65-66页 |
| ·Limitations and Suggestions | 第66-68页 |
| Bibliography | 第68-73页 |
| Appendix | 第73-79页 |
