| Acknowledgements | 第1-7页 |
| Abstract | 第7-9页 |
| 摘要 | 第9-12页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第12-16页 |
| ·Fuzziness and Hedges | 第12-13页 |
| ·Research Objective | 第13页 |
| ·Significance of the Present Study | 第13-14页 |
| ·Organization of this Paper | 第14-16页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第16-28页 |
| ·The Definition of Hedges | 第16-18页 |
| ·The Categorization of Hedges | 第18-20页 |
| ·Previous Studies of Hedges Abroad | 第20-26页 |
| ·Semantically-Based Studies of Hedges | 第20-22页 |
| ·Zadeh's Fuzzy Set Theory and Study of Hedges | 第20-21页 |
| ·Lakoff's Proposition of the Concept of Hedges | 第21-22页 |
| ·Pragmatically-Oriented Studies of Hedges | 第22-25页 |
| ·Studies of Hedges in Second Language Teaching and Discourse Analysis | 第25-26页 |
| ·Previous Studies of Hedges in China | 第26-28页 |
| Chapter Three News Writing and Hedges | 第28-44页 |
| ·The Features of Written Communication | 第28-29页 |
| ·News Writing,an Interaction between the Journalist and the Audiences | 第29-31页 |
| ·The Fundamental Principles of News Writing | 第30页 |
| ·The Basic Requirements in the Use of Language in News Writing | 第30-31页 |
| ·The Causes of the Appearances of Hedges in News Writing | 第31-34页 |
| ·Impossibility of Preciseness | 第32页 |
| ·Needlessness of Preciseness | 第32-33页 |
| ·Improperness of Preciseness | 第33-34页 |
| ·Linguistic Realizations of Hedges in News Writing | 第34-44页 |
| ·Lexical Verbal Items | 第34-36页 |
| ·Nouns and Pronouns | 第36-37页 |
| ·Lexical Adverbial Items | 第37-39页 |
| ·Lexical Adjective Items | 第39-40页 |
| ·Phrases | 第40-41页 |
| ·Passive Voice and Impersonal Clause | 第41-43页 |
| ·Conditional Clause | 第43-44页 |
| Chapter Four Pragmatic Analysis of Hedges in News Writing | 第44-63页 |
| ·Analytical Rationale | 第44-47页 |
| ·Cooperative Principle | 第44-45页 |
| ·Face-saving Theory | 第45-47页 |
| ·Analysis of the Pragmatic Functions of Hedges within CP and Face-saving Theory | 第47-62页 |
| ·Use of Hedges to Achieve Accurateness | 第47-50页 |
| ·Use of Hedges to Achieve Objectiveness | 第50-52页 |
| ·Use of Hedges to Achieve Adequateness | 第52-55页 |
| ·Use of Hedges to Achieve Persuasiveness | 第55-57页 |
| ·Use of Hedges to Save the Journalist's Face | 第57-60页 |
| ·Use of Hedges to Save the Audience's Face | 第60-62页 |
| ·Summary | 第62-63页 |
| Chapter Five Discussion on the Occurrence and Frequency of Hedges in NewsWriting | 第63-71页 |
| ·Data Selection | 第63-64页 |
| ·Results and Analysis | 第64-66页 |
| ·Discussion | 第66-71页 |
| ·Hedges in Economic and Business News | 第67-68页 |
| ·Hedges in Political News | 第68页 |
| ·Hedges in Scientific and Technological News | 第68-69页 |
| ·Hedges in News Commentary | 第69-71页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第71-75页 |
| ·Major Findings of the Present Study | 第71-72页 |
| ·Implications of the Present Study | 第72-73页 |
| ·Limitations of the Present Study | 第73-74页 |
| ·Suggestions for Further Study | 第74-75页 |
| Bibliography | 第75-80页 |
| Appendix Ⅰ News Surveyed in Chapter Five | 第80-82页 |
| Appendix Ⅱ Hedges Surveyed in Chapter Five | 第82-83页 |
