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1. Introduction

1.1 Research Background
As Appraisal Theory is concerned with the language evaluation, it is necessary for us toknow the Appraisal in a functional model of language. “Appraisal is concerned withevaluation: The kind of attitudes that negotiated in a text, the strength of the feelings involvedand the ways in which values are sourced and readers aligned.” (Martin & Rose, 2007: 25).The evaluation is evolved from the theoretical framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics(SFL). The core of the SFL is Metafunction, which is a model with many aspects, includingthree sub-functions: Ideational function, Interpersonal function and Textual function.In terms of Systematic Functional Linguistics, Appraisal Theory mainly focuses on theinterpersonal function of the SFL. Martin and Rose (2007) provided a sympathetic frameworkconcerning interpersonal function. Martin considered that the SFL pays no attention to theinteraction between reader and writer based on the mood and modality, and then he putforward Appraisal Theory with some of his colleagues.Appraisal Theory is divided into three subsystems: Attitude, Engagement andGraduation. “Attitude expresses our feelings, including emotional reactions, judgment ofbehaviors and evaluation of things”, and it is divided into Affect, Judgment and Appreciation.“Engagement deals with sourcing attitudes and the play of voices around opinions indiscourse and is divided into Monogloss and Heterogloss.” Graduation attends to gradingphenomena whereby feelings are amplified and categories blurred, and is divided into Forceand Focus (Martin & White, 2008: 35).From the viewpoint of language, Martin and White (2008) argue that the nature oflanguage use is dialogic, they thought that the use of language is a kind of interactive behavior.All languages, whether oral or written, are affected by the language before, and at the sametime looking forward to reaction of the readers or listeners (that may be potential or imagined).Language senders are looking forward to the reaction of the audiences in order to achievecertain effects. Appraisal Theory uses the appraisal words as evaluation resources to explorethe interpersonal meaning of language.
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1.2 Purpose and Significance of the Research
This thesis aims at analyzing the engagement resources in The Snowball: Warren Buffettand the Business of Life. It mainly uses the quantitative and qualitative methods to calculateand analyze the distributions and frequencies of the engagement resources in the biography.Then the thesis analyzes the interpersonal function in our daily communication and tries tofind how the biography writer builds the interaction between the readers and her.The conclusion proves that Appraisal Theory has powerful explanation on the writers’writing characters, and gives some references to discourse writing and biography reading.According to the research statistics, the writer tries to use special skills to grasp the readers’eyes. The finding of how the interaction between writer and reader is constructed is of greatimportance to the analysis of the interpersonal function of Engagement System. According tothe conclusion, we may find in which way we can achieve a better communication with others.What’s more, through the analysis, the engagement resources of the The Snowball: WarrenBuffett and the business of life will provide a new angle for further study of biography fromthe perspecti