| The passive voice is a very old structural resource, whose documented use in English dates back at least as early as 1388 (Murray, 1933). Syntactically and semantically distinct from the active voice, the passive voice plays a significant role in the organization of EST (English for Science and Technology) discourse. The present study was undertaken on the basis of the theoretical framework of Halliday's Systemic-functional Grammar for the purpose of investigating how the passive voice is used in EST discourse in terms of its various textual functions. The research materials analyzed in the present study include 15 discourses, which were chosen from 9 issues of Science in 2006 and cover ecology, chemistry, microbiology, to name a few. The weekly journal Science was founded by New York journalist John Michaels in 1880 with financial support from Tomas Edison and later from Alexander Graham Bell.Supervised by AAAS, it is now a most comprehensive, authoritative and scientific weekly journal that aims at equipping the scientists with the latest development in science and enjoys the largest circulation by now in the world. The samples selected in this study are all characterized by containing instance of the passive voice. The conclusions of the present study are presented as follows:First, the passive voice, due to its ability to move the object to the subject position, can realign the distribution order of information in that it can reverse the presupposition and assertion. In doing so, the passive voice can give prominence to the topic, highlight the focus, keep the unmarked given∧new (∧stands for followed by) order of information and help build up It + be + v-ed + that clause structure. Therefore, the information organization principle of end focus and that of end weight can be achieved.Second, the passive voice is an effective tool for the addresser to manipulate the thematic choice which is vital to push forward the information flow. By moving a particular element to the thematic position, the passive voice can connect theme, introduce theme, maintain theme, and shift theme. The manipulation of thematic choice through the use of the passive voice can realize the theme-rheme cohesion, enhance cohesive power, and eventually promote the coherence in EST discourse.Third, in the process of maneuvring the thematic choice, the passive voice can help establish TP (thematic progression) patterns characteristic of EST discourse. The formation of the three basic TP patterns: linear theme pattern, constant theme pattern, and inclusive theme pattern, together with their combination—mixed theme pattern, demonstrates that certain genres require certain TP patterns so as to achieve special rhetorical functions. In the case of EST discourse, the occurrence of these TP patterns can make the information flow generally follow various desired logical orders so as to make necessary classifications, comparisons and contrasts, descriptions, etc. As a result, the revealing of the scientific concepts or procedures will be explained or described in a more accurate, formal and objective way.Fourth, the various textual functions of the passive voice in EST discourse are inseparable from each other. In other words, while realigning the distribution order of information, the passive voice is in effect conducting the thematic choice simultaneously and also constructing different types of TP patterns.Fifth, in foregrounding the textual function, the passive voice also performs ideational and interpersonal function simultaneously in the construction of an EST discourse. This proves Halliday's (1970: 146) argument that the more significant reasons for the choice of passive lie in its textual function, which organizes the ideational and the interpersonal function, enabling the addresser to construct texts suitable to the situation on the one hand, and on the other, enabling the addressee to distinguish coherent texts from disorganized sentence groups.The conclusions also have some pedagogical implications. A good command of passive voice can not only enable the scientific writers to compose appropriate EST discourse, but facilitate the scientific readers'understanding of EST discourse. In addition, as the traditional teaching only cares about the structural features of the passive voice, its pragmatic and discourse functions are often ignored, which causes puzzles among students about when and why to use it over the active voice. Therefore, an adequate knowledge of the passive voice could help the students learn the form of the passive voice together with its various functions. Last but not the least, a better understanding of the passive voice can enhance people's interest in EST discourse; conversely, when learning and teaching the passive voice, it might be better to select the EST discourse as the instruction materials. In this way students could combine rules with practice and learn the passive voice not only on the syntactical level but also on the discourse level.
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