中文摘要：英国《经济学人》( The Economist) 是一份由伦敦经济学人报纸有限公司出版的连续性刊物。该报纸创办于1843年， 在国际上享有很高的知名度， 以新闻报道，时事评论和分析见长。《经济学人》每周更新一次， 并且会定期就某一国际热点展开特别追踪报道， 该报纸共有11个板块。其中，社论板块对每周热点事件进行报道和解读，文章长度中等。 本文选取2016下半年《经济学人》社论板块关于全球重大事件的报道作为语料，结合具体的统计数据和实例（这一步骤以人工操作完成），在前人的基础上，分析研究2016下半年《经济学人》社论板块的行文风格。重点集中在三方面，即修辞的运用，横纵向比较的展开以及多元观点和鲜明立场的融合。经研究，这些报道往往说服力强，信息量大，并且行文逻辑清晰，报道辛辣尖锐， 明白易懂同时也不乏幽默风趣。 作为英语语言学习者，通过对2016下半年《经济学人》社论板块行文风格的研究和分析， 能够对该报纸的其他报道有更深入的理解，而非仅仅停留在词汇和语法这样的表面理解。与此同时，《经济学人》报道中所运用到的写作技巧，对我们的英语写作也有很积极的启发意义。

关键词：《经济学人》  社论  行文风格  指导意义

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

中文摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

Chapter Two The Writing Style of Leaders Column in The Economist-3

Chapter Three The Fun and Fascination Achieved through Rhetoric-5

3.1 The application of parable and its effects-5

3.1.1 The application of simile and its effects-5

3.1.2 The application of metaphor and its effects-6

3.2 The application of other rhetorical methods and its effects-7

3.2.1 The application of literary allusion and its effects-7

3.2.2 The application of rhyme and its effects-8

3.2.3 The application of antithesis and its effects-9

3.2.4 The application of parallelism and its effects-10

3.2.5 The application of the not-so-frequently-used rhetorical devices and their effects-11

Chapter Four The Completeness and Depth Achieved through Comparisons-13

4.1 Lateral comparisons and their effects-13

4.1.1 Comparisons among parallel things and their effects-13

4.1.2 Comparisons among different countries and their effects-14

4.2 Vertical comparisons and their effects-15

Chapter Five The Plural Voices and Plain Stances-18

5.1 Introducing plural voices-18

5.2 Expressing plain stances-19

5.2.1 Logically stating propositions-19

5.2.2 Prudently making suggestions-20

Chapter Six Conclusion-21

REFERENCES-23

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-24