| Acknowledgements | 第1-7页 |
| Abstract | 第7-9页 |
| 摘要 | 第9-11页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第11-15页 |
| ·Rationale of the Study | 第11-13页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第13页 |
| ·Organization of the Thesis | 第13-15页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第15-25页 |
| ·The Definitions of Topic | 第15-19页 |
| ·Topic as the Given Information | 第15-17页 |
| ·Topic as the Entity Being Talked About | 第17-18页 |
| ·Topic as the Departure of a Discourse | 第18-19页 |
| ·Subject and Topic | 第19-21页 |
| ·Topic-prominent Language vs. Subject-prominent Language | 第21-24页 |
| ·Summary | 第24-25页 |
| Chapter Three Topic Chain and Topic Continuity | 第25-36页 |
| ·Topic Continuity | 第25-27页 |
| ·Factors Affecting Topic Continuity | 第27-29页 |
| ·Realization of Topic Continuity | 第29-35页 |
| ·Topic Chain | 第29-31页 |
| ·Anaphoric Devices in Chinese and English Discourse | 第31-33页 |
| ·Topic-marking Devices | 第33-35页 |
| ·Summary | 第35-36页 |
| Chapter Four Topic Continuity and Text Unfolding in Chinese and English:A Comparative Analysis | 第36-45页 |
| ·Topic Continuity and Text Unfolding in Chinese | 第36-41页 |
| ·Chain Initial Topic and Text Unfolding in Chinese | 第36-39页 |
| ·Chain Medial Topic and Text Unfolding in Chinese | 第39-40页 |
| ·Chain Final Topic and Text Unfolding in Chinese | 第40-41页 |
| ·Topic Continuity and Text Unfolding in English | 第41-43页 |
| ·Chain Initial Topic and Text Unfolding in English | 第41页 |
| ·Chain Medial Topic and Text Unfolding in English | 第41-42页 |
| ·Chain Final Topic and Text Unfolding in English | 第42-43页 |
| ·Similarities and Differences in Topic Continuity and Text Unfolding between Chinese and English:A Functional Interpretation | 第43-44页 |
| ·Similarities in Topic Continuity and Text Unfolding between Chinese and English | 第43页 |
| ·Differences in Topic Continuity and Text Unfolding between Chinese and English | 第43-44页 |
| ·Summary | 第44-45页 |
| Chapter Five Conclusion | 第45-47页 |
| ·Major Findings of the Study | 第45-46页 |
| ·Implications of the Study | 第46页 |
| ·Prospects for Further Research | 第46-47页 |
| References | 第47-50页 |
