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h the development of Input Hypothesis andOutput Hypothesis. On the other hand, the combination of English writing teaching withmemetics will inject new vitality to memetics.
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Chapter II Literature Review

This chapter is the review of related theories and studies. First part is the presentation ofmemetics, including the definition, life cycle and patterns of meme transmission. Second partis the study of memetics on English writing teaching at home and abroad.

2.1 Definition of Memes
Meme is the core term of memetics. It is similar to gene. The latter one is spread byinheritance, while the former one develops by imitation. The American Webster Dictionarydefines the term meme as “an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spread from person toperson within a culture”. According to The New Oxford Dictionary of English, the term memeis described as “an element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to bepassed from one individual to another by non-genetic means, especially imitation”.What’s more, different scholars have given definitions of meme in different ways.Dawkins (1976) defines memes as cultural units which propagate themselves from one hostto another by imitation. He claims that “tunes, ideas, catch-phrases, clothes fashion, and waysof making pots or of building arches” all can be called memes. But later the definition ofmemes is changed into “a unit of information residing in a brain” so that the tunes and clothesfashion do not belong to memes. Dawkins (1986) adds that memes “can propagatethemselves from brain to brain, from brain to book, from book to brain, from brain tocomputer, from computer to computer”.Blackmore, Dawkin’s student, gives her definition about memes based on Dawkins’ idea.Blackmore (1999) describes memes as “whatever is copied from one to anotherperson,whether habits, skills, songs, stories, or any other kind of information”. She puts moreemphasis on imitation which, she thinks, makes culture evolution possible. She points outthat memes rely on imitation to transmit themselves and anything can be passed on byimitation.
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2.2 Life Circle of Memes
Generally speaking, the transmission of memes must go through several phases.Heylighen divides it into four stages: assimilation, retention, expression and transmission,which can lay a foundation for successful replication and transmission of memes.Assimilation: The pre-condition for a successful meme to transmit is that the mememust be capable of “infecting” a new host. Only by doing so can a meme take a place inhost’s brain. Then three steps are required for real assimilation’s occurrence. Namely, notice,understand and accept. First, no one can deny the fact that the meme must be capable ofattracting potential hosts’ attention and being noticed by hosts is the first step for assimilation.Second, understanding refers to the meme can be comprehended by the potential hosts, andthen form a connected cognitive system with the meme. Third is acceptance. Based on thefirst two processes, then it comes to acceptance which means the hosts’ permission. If thecognitive system of hosts does not give memes the opportunity to approach, assimilation willnot happen eventually. That is to say, the conditions for assimilation to take place are that thememe must be noticeable, comprehensive and acceptable.
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Chapter III Theoretical Framewor