| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 第5-6页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第6-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第8-14页 |
| Chapter One INTRODUCTION | 第14-17页 |
| 1.1 Background of the Study | 第14-15页 |
| 1.2 Research Purposes and Significance of the Study | 第15-16页 |
| 1.3 Structure of the Thesis | 第16-17页 |
| Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW | 第17-38页 |
| 2.1 Key Theory | 第17-33页 |
| 2.1.1 Theme and Rheme | 第17-19页 |
| 2.1.2 Classifications of Themes | 第19-29页 |
| 2.1.3 Theme-rheme Progression | 第29-33页 |
| 2.2 Related Studies at Home and Abroad | 第33-38页 |
| 2.2.1 Studies Related to Themes and Theme-rheme Progression | 第33-35页 |
| 2.2.2 Studies on Theme and Theme-rheme Progression in Different Genres | 第35-38页 |
| Chapter Three METHODOLOGY | 第38-41页 |
| 3.1 Research Questions | 第38页 |
| 3.2 Research Setting & Participants | 第38-39页 |
| 3.3 Research Processes | 第39页 |
| 3.3.1 Writing Test | 第39页 |
| 3.3.2 Textual Analysis | 第39页 |
| 3.4 Data Collection and Data Analysis | 第39-41页 |
| 3.4.1 Data Collection | 第39-40页 |
| 3.4.2 Data Analysis | 第40-41页 |
| Chapter Four RESULTS AND DISCUSSION | 第41-71页 |
| 4.1 Description and Discussion of the Features of Theme Use | 第41-45页 |
| 4.1.1 Description of the Features of Theme Use | 第41-43页 |
| 4.1.2 Discussion of the Features of Theme Use | 第43-45页 |
| 4.2 Description and Discussion of the Features of Theme-rheme Progression | 第45-50页 |
| 4.2.1 Description of the Features of Theme-rheme Progression | 第45-49页 |
| 4.2.2 Discussion of the Features of Theme-rheme Progression | 第49-50页 |
| 4.3 Description and Discussion in Theme Use and Theme-rheme Progression byStudents of Different Proficiency Levels | 第50-71页 |
| 4.3.1 Description of Differences in Theme Use | 第50-55页 |
| 4.3.2 Discussion of the Differences in Theme Use | 第55-57页 |
| 4.3.3 Description of the Differences in the Use of Theme-rheme Progression | 第57-66页 |
| 4.3.4 Discussion of the Differences in the Use of Theme-rheme Progression | 第66-71页 |
| Chapter Five CONCLUSION | 第71-75页 |
| 5.1 Major Findings | 第71-72页 |
| 5.2 Implications | 第72-73页 |
| 5.3 Limitations and Suggestions | 第73-75页 |
| REFERENCES | 第75-79页 |
| APPENDICES | 第79-89页 |
| Appendix 1: Composition requirements | 第79页 |
| Appendix 2: Students’ samples and thematic choices | 第79-89页 |
