| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 第1-9页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第9-11页 |
| 摘要 | 第11-15页 |
| LIST OF DIAGRAMS, FIGURES AND TABLES | 第15-16页 |
| CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION | 第16-19页 |
| ·Research Background | 第16页 |
| ·Research Aims | 第16-17页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第17页 |
| ·Organization of the Thesis | 第17-19页 |
| CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW | 第19-28页 |
| ·Hedges | 第19-25页 |
| ·Definitions of Hedges | 第19-20页 |
| ·Classifications of Hedges | 第20-23页 |
| ·Previous Studies of Hedges | 第23-25页 |
| ·Business News | 第25-26页 |
| ·Definitions of Business News | 第25-26页 |
| ·Previous Studies of Business News | 第26页 |
| ·Studies of Hedges in Business News | 第26-28页 |
| CHAPTER Ⅲ THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK | 第28-35页 |
| ·Adaptation Theory | 第28-32页 |
| ·Language Use: Choice-making | 第28-29页 |
| ·Properties of Language | 第29-30页 |
| ·Four Angles of Investigation of Adaptation Theory | 第30-32页 |
| ·Suggested Contextual Correlates of Adaptability in Business News | 第32-35页 |
| CHAPTER Ⅳ RESEARCH METHODOLOGY | 第35-40页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第35页 |
| ·Data Collection | 第35-36页 |
| ·Research Methods and Procedures | 第36-37页 |
| ·Research Methods | 第36页 |
| ·Research Procedures | 第36-37页 |
| ·Data Analysis | 第37-40页 |
| CHAPTERⅤ ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION | 第40-56页 |
| ·Similarities and Differences of the Use of Hedges between English and | 第40-46页 |
| ·Similarities of Hedges in English and Chinese Business News | 第40-43页 |
| ·Differences of Hedges in English and Chinese Business News | 第43-46页 |
| ·The Relation between Hedges and Adaptation Theory | 第46-50页 |
| ·Adapting to Physical World | 第47-48页 |
| ·Adapting to Mental World | 第48页 |
| ·Adapting to Social World | 第48-50页 |
| ·Pragmatic Functions of Hedges in Chinese and English Business News Chinese Business News | 第50-56页 |
| ·Achieving Accuracy | 第50-52页 |
| ·Achieving Objectivity | 第52-54页 |
| ·Achieving Politeness | 第54页 |
| ·Achieving Self-protection | 第54-56页 |
| CHAPTERⅥ CONCLUSION | 第56-59页 |
| ·Major Findings | 第56-57页 |
| ·Implications | 第57页 |
| ·Limitations and Suggestions | 第57-59页 |
| REFERENCE | 第59-62页 |
| APPENDIXⅠ Detailed Information of EBNC | 第62-64页 |
| APPENDIXⅡ Detailed Information of CBNC | 第64-65页 |
| APPENDIXⅢ A List of Hedges in EBNCand CBNC | 第65-68页 |
| APPENDIXⅣ Sample of Business News in EBNC | 第68-71页 |
| APPENDIXⅤ Sample Business News in CBNC | 第71-73页 |
