| Abstract | 第1-10页 |
| 摘要 | 第10-14页 |
| List of Abbreviations | 第14-15页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第15-18页 |
| ·Background of the Study | 第15-16页 |
| ·Significance of the Study | 第16-17页 |
| ·Overall Structure of the Study | 第17-18页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第18-26页 |
| ·Previous Studies on Hedges | 第18-23页 |
| ·Evolution of the Definition of Hedges | 第18-20页 |
| ·Studies on Hedges Abroad | 第20-22页 |
| ·Studies on Hedges in China | 第22-23页 |
| ·Studies on Hedges in Economic News | 第23-25页 |
| ·Summary | 第25-26页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第26-38页 |
| ·Classification of Hedges | 第26-31页 |
| ·Semantic Classification of Hedges | 第26-27页 |
| ·Grammatical Classification of Hedges | 第27-28页 |
| ·Pragmatic Classification of Hedges | 第28-31页 |
| ·Verschueren's Linguistic Adaptation Theory | 第31-36页 |
| ·Making Choice | 第31-32页 |
| ·Three Properties of Language | 第32-33页 |
| ·Four Angles of Investigation | 第33-36页 |
| ·Proposed Generation Processes of Hedges in English Economic News | 第36-38页 |
| Chapter Four Methodology | 第38-43页 |
| ·Research Questions | 第38页 |
| ·Source of Data | 第38-39页 |
| ·Research Methods | 第39页 |
| ·Research Procedures | 第39-40页 |
| ·Data Collection | 第40-41页 |
| ·Results of Statistical Analysis | 第41-43页 |
| Chapter Five Contrastive Analysis and Discussion | 第43-75页 |
| ·Linguistic Realizations of Hedges in Chinese and American English Economic News | 第43-67页 |
| ·Accuracy-oriented Hedges in Chinese and American English Economic News | 第43-61页 |
| ·Writer-oriented Hedges in Chinese and American English Economic News | 第61-65页 |
| ·Reader-oriented Hedges in Chinese and American English Economic News | 第65-67页 |
| ·Research Findings of Contrastive Analysis | 第67-69页 |
| ·The Similarities in the Use of Hedges in Chinese and American English Economic News | 第67-68页 |
| ·The Differences in the Use of Hedges in Chinese and American English Economic News | 第68-69页 |
| ·Pragmatic Analysis of Hedges in Chinese and American English Economic News | 第69-72页 |
| ·Hedges as Adaptation to the Mental World | 第69-70页 |
| ·Hedges as Adaptation to the Social World | 第70-71页 |
| ·Hedges as Adaptation to the Physical World | 第71-72页 |
| ·Pragmatic Functions of Hedges in Chinese and American English Economic News | 第72-75页 |
| ·Hedges as Accuracy-increasing Function | 第72-73页 |
| ·Hedges as Protection-strengthening Function | 第73页 |
| ·Hedges as Politeness-achieving Function | 第73-74页 |
| ·Hedges as Absoluteness-avoiding Function | 第74页 |
| ·Hedges as Acceptability-raising Function | 第74-75页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第75-78页 |
| ·Major Findings of the Study | 第75-76页 |
| ·Implications of the Study | 第76页 |
| ·Limitations of the Study | 第76-78页 |
| References | 第78-81页 |
| Acknowledgments | 第81-82页 |
| Appendix A 攻读硕士学位期间所发表的学术论文 | 第82-83页 |
| Appendix B | 第83-86页 |
| Appendix C | 第86-88页 |
