| Acknowledgements | 第1-5页 |
| 摘要 | 第5-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-10页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第10-13页 |
| ·Motivations and objectives | 第10-11页 |
| ·Methodology and corpus | 第11-12页 |
| ·The overall organization of the thesis | 第12-13页 |
| Chapter 2 A brief overview of metaphor study | 第13-22页 |
| ·Definitions of metaphor | 第13-14页 |
| ·Metaphor study in the West | 第14-19页 |
| ·Rhetorical approach to metaphor | 第14-16页 |
| ·Semantic approach to metaphor | 第16-17页 |
| ·Pragmatic approach to metaphor | 第17-18页 |
| ·Cognitive approach to metaphor | 第18-19页 |
| ·Metaphor study in China | 第19-22页 |
| Chapter 3 The cognitive approach to metaphor | 第22-34页 |
| ·The theoretical background of cognitive approach | 第22-25页 |
| ·Experientialism | 第22-24页 |
| ·Image Schema | 第24-25页 |
| ·The main features of metaphor | 第25-29页 |
| ·The ubiquity of metaphor | 第25-27页 |
| ·The systematicity of metaphor | 第27-28页 |
| ·The conceptual nature of metaphor | 第28-29页 |
| ·Mappings of metaphor | 第29-30页 |
| ·The classification of cognitive metaphor | 第30-32页 |
| ·Structural, orientational and ontological metaphor | 第30-31页 |
| ·Conventional and novel metaphor | 第31-32页 |
| ·Breakthrough of the cognitive approach | 第32-34页 |
| Chapter 4 A study of LIFE metaphors in Chinese and English from the cognitive perspective | 第34-57页 |
| ·LIFE IS A JOURNEY | 第34-39页 |
| ·Mappings of LIFE IS A JOURNEY | 第34-36页 |
| ·Expressions of LIFE IS A JOURNEY | 第36-39页 |
| ·LIFE IS A PLAY | 第39-44页 |
| ·Mappings of LIFE IS A PLAY | 第39-42页 |
| ·Expressions of LIFE IS A PLAY | 第42-44页 |
| ·LIFE IS A DAY/YEAR | 第44-49页 |
| ·Mappings of LIFE IS A DAY /YEAR | 第44-45页 |
| ·Expressions of LIFE IS A DAY/YEAR | 第45-46页 |
| ·Some metaphors associated with LIFE IS A DAY / YEAR | 第46-49页 |
| ·A brief study of other metaphors | 第49-57页 |
| ·LIFE IS A CONTEST / WAR | 第49-51页 |
| ·LIFE IS FLUID IN BODY | 第51-52页 |
| ·LIFE IS A BOOK | 第52-53页 |
| ·LIFE IS FOOD | 第53-54页 |
| ·LIFE IS POSSESSION | 第54-55页 |
| ·LIFE IS A DREAM | 第55-56页 |
| ·LIFE IS ART | 第56-57页 |
| Chapter 5 A comparative study of LIFE metaphors in Chinese and English | 第57-67页 |
| ·Cognitive universality and cultural variations | 第57-58页 |
| ·A comparative study of LIFE metaphors in Chinese and English | 第58-65页 |
| ·Similarities of LIFE metaphors in Chinese and English | 第58-60页 |
| ·Differences of LIFE metaphors in Chinese and English | 第60-65页 |
| ·Applications of the comparative study | 第65-67页 |
| Chapter 6 Conclusion | 第67-71页 |
| Bibliography | 第71-73页 |
