structural means; and here there are two related systems at work. One is a sy stem of the clause, viz. THEME, which construes the clause in the guise of a message, made up of Theme rheme. The other is the system of INFORMATION. This is a system not of the clause, but of a separate grammatical unit, the information unit, which is a unit that is parallel to the clause and the other units belonging to the same rank scale as the clause The information unit is a quantum of information in the discourse, which functioned phonologically by the tone group Spoken English unfolds as a sequence of information units, typically one following another in unbroken succession- there is no pause or other discontinuity between them The information unit is what its name implies: a unit of information. Information in this technical grammatical sense, is the tension between what is already known or predictable and what is new or unpredictable Structurally, an information unit consists of an obligatory New plus an optional iven, and the New is marked by prominence and the given typically precedes the New Each information unit is realized as a pitch contour, which may be falling, rising or mixed(falling-rising, ris ing-falling). This pitch contour extend over the whole tone group Within the tone group, one foot(and particularly its first syllable) carries the main pitch movement: the main fall, or rise, or the change of d irection. This feature is known as tonic prominence, and the element hav ing this prominence is the tonic element (tonic foot, tonic syllable) Topic prominence is indicated by a form of graphic prominence: bold type for print, wavy underlining for manuscript and typescript The element having this prominence is said to be carry ing information focus The tonic foot defines the culmination of what is New it marks where the new element ends In the typical instance, this will be the last functional element of clause structure in the information unit 3.6 Given New and Theme t rheme There is a close semantic relationship between the system of INFORMATION and the system of THEMe-between information structure and thematic structure This is reflected in the unmarked relationship between the two. Other things being equal, one information unit is co-extensive with one [ranking] clause (unmarked tonality ); and, in that case, the ordering of Given New (unmarked tonicity" )means that the Theme falls with the Given, while the New falls within the 3.7 Predicated Themes THEME PREDICATION(主位谓化) is a further resource which figures prominently in the organization of the clause as a message. It involved a particular combination of thematic and information choice For exampl It was jane that started it5 structural means; and here there are two related systems at work. One is a system of the clause, viz. THEME, which construes the clause in the guise of a message, made up of Theme + Rheme. The other is the system of INFORMATION. This is a system not of the clause, but of a separate grammatical unit, the information unit, which is a unit that is parallel to the clause and the other units belonging to the same rank scale as the clause. The information unit is a quantum of information in the discourse, which is functioned phonologically by the tone group. Spoken English unfolds as a sequence of information units, typically one following another in unbroken succession – there is no pause or other discontinuity between them. The information unit is what its name implies: a unit of information. Information, in this technical grammatical sense, is the tension between what is already known or predictable and what is new or unpredictable. Structurally, an information unit consists of an obligatory New plus an optional Given, and the New is marked by prominence and the Given typically precedes the New. Each information unit is realized as a pitch contour, which may be falling, rising or mixed (falling-rising, rising-falling). This pitch contour extend over the whole tone group. Within the tone group, one foot (and particularly its first syllable) carries the main pitch movement: the main fall, or rise, or the change of direction. This feature is known as tonic prominence, and the element having this prominence is the tonic element (tonic foot, tonic syllable). Topic prominence is indicated by a form of graphic prominence: bold type for print, wavy underlining for manuscript and typescript. The element having this prominence is said to be carrying information focus. The tonic foot defines the culmination of what is New: it marks where the New element ends. In the typical instance, this will be the last functional element of clause structure in the information unit. 3.6 Given + New and Theme + Rheme There is a close semantic relationship between the system of INFORMATION and the system of THEME – between information structure and thematic structure. This is reflected in the unmarked relationship between the two. Other things being equal, one information unit is co-extensive with one [ranking] clause (“unmarked tonality”); and, in that case, the ordering of Given ^ New (“unmarked tonicity”) means that the Theme falls with the Given, while the New falls within the Rheme. 3.7 Predicated Themes THEME PREDICATION (主位谓化) is a further resource which figures prominently in the organization of the clause as a message. It involved a particular combination of thematic and information choice. For example: It was Jane that started it