| 摘要 | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-12页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第12-16页 |
| ·The Purpose of the Study | 第12-13页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第13页 |
| ·The Significance of the Study | 第13-14页 |
| ·The Layout of the Thesis | 第14-16页 |
| Chapter 2 Literature Review | 第16-28页 |
| ·The Speech Act Theory | 第16-19页 |
| ·Austin's Speech Act Theory | 第16-17页 |
| ·Searle's Theory of "Indirect Speech Acts" | 第17-18页 |
| ·Speech Act of Refusal | 第18-19页 |
| ·Brown and Levinson's Politeness Theory | 第19-23页 |
| ·Positive and Negative Face | 第19-20页 |
| ·Face-Threatening Act | 第20-22页 |
| ·Politeness Strategies | 第22-23页 |
| ·Refusals in Business Communication | 第23-25页 |
| ·Previous Study of Refusal Speech Act | 第25-28页 |
| Chapter 3 Research Methodology | 第28-33页 |
| ·Research Instrument | 第28-29页 |
| ·Research Subjects | 第29-30页 |
| ·Data Collection and Analysis | 第30-33页 |
| Chapter 4 Results and Discussion | 第33-57页 |
| ·Effects of Social Power on Refusal Strategy Use | 第34-43页 |
| ·Comparison of Refusal Strategy Use According to Higher Status to Lower Status | 第34-38页 |
| ·Comparison of Refusal Strategy Use According to Lower Status to Higher Status | 第38-41页 |
| ·Comparison of Refusal Strategy Use According to Peers | 第41-43页 |
| ·Effects of Social Distance on Refusal Strategy Use | 第43-48页 |
| ·Factors Influencing the Strategy Used by Chinese and Americans in Business Communication | 第48-57页 |
| ·Collectivism vs Individualism | 第48-52页 |
| ·Hierarchy vs Equality | 第52-54页 |
| ·High Context Communication vs Low Context Communication | 第54-57页 |
| Chapter 5 Conclusion | 第57-61页 |
| ·Major Findings | 第57-58页 |
| ·Implications of the Study | 第58-59页 |
| ·Limitations of the Study | 第59-61页 |
| References | 第61-64页 |
| Appendices Ⅰ The Chinese Version of the DCT | 第64-67页 |
| Appendices Ⅱ The English Version of the DCT | 第67-70页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第70-71页 |
| Resume | 第71-72页 |
