ists have doneresearches on TOA in the past decades. In tiie following sections, definitions of TOAin both psychological and linguistic fields will be provided. Researches on TOA derived from the psychologist Frenkel-Bruswik's studies onintolerance of ambiguity. In her essay Intolerance of Ambiguity as an Emotional andPerceptual Personality Variable published in 1949，she reported a study comprised of300 subjects (100 adults and 200 California children ranging from 9 to 14 years old)，in which she presented a comprehensive treatment of emotional and perceptualpersonality variable.
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1.2 Vocabulary Learning Strategy
Based on the previous literature about language learning strategy, this sectionwill present VLS from the perspectives of descriptions，classifications and theprevious studies abroad and in China. Vocabulary is the foundation of English learning. The knowledge of vocabularybenefits language use. La turn, language use broadens the knowledge of vocabulary.The studies of VLS derived from the studies of LLS. So far, a number of descriptionsabout VLS have been provided by researchers.Rod Ellis (1999) pointed out that "Vocabulary learning strategies are specificstrategies for learning vocabulary."Nation (2001) believed that VLS included the following important features: (1)they involve choice; (2) they are complex, i.e. consisting of several steps; (3) theyrequire knowledge and benefit from training; (4) they increase the efficiency ofvocabulary learning and use.Rosa Maria and Jimenez Catalan (2003) define an elaborate working vocabularylearning strategies as: "knowledge about the mechanisms (processes, strategies) usedin order to leam vocabulary as well as steps or actions taken by students (a) to find out the meaning of the unknown words, (b) to retain them in long-term memory, (c) torecall them at will, and (d) to use them in oral or written mode”. In fact, thequintessence of this definition lies in the techniques, approaches of discovering,consolidating and producing of words.
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Chapter Three Results and Discussions ............34
3.1 Status Quo of College Non-English Majors' Tolerance of Ambiguity......... 34
3.2 Status Quo of College Non-English Majors' Vocabulary......... 39
3.3 Differences in Vocabulary Learning Strategy Use.........46
3.3.1 Differences in Overall Vocabulary Learning Strategies Use......... 46
3.3.2 Differences in Specific Vocabulary Learning Strategies Use......... 49
3.4 Correlation between College Non-English Majors' Tolerance.........51
3.5 Interview Analysis.........53
3.6 Summary ......... 57
Conclusion.........58
1. Major Findings.........58
2. Implications.........59
3. Limitations of the Present Research and Suggestions.........62
Chapter ThreeResults and Discussions
3.1 Status Quo of College Non-English Majors' Tolerance ofAmbiguity
There are totally 12 items in the SLATS. According to the score criterion of thescale，each item has the score ranging from 1 to 4. Therefore, the total score of eachstudent's TOA may vary from 12 (the highest score of TOA) to 48 (the lowest score ofTOA). Taking the feature of TOA itself into consideration, the higher scores 狂 subjectgets，the lower level of TOA he or she has, and vice versa. The following Table 3-1 isthe descriptive statistics for all the subjects，TOA. It can be seen clearly that，the subjects' TOA scores range from 16 to 36. Itindicates that the subjects possess different levels of TOA when learning English. Ofcourse, some subjects have relative
