Literature is appealing to us also because of its intimate relationship and relevant association withhuman existence. It sheds light on the complexity of human experiences and thus broadens the awarenessof our own understanding about life. While observing the private lives of characters， our minds also beginworking and our hearts beating along with the characters’. An awareness of how other people feel can bea very useful way to enrich one’s own personality. In this sense， literature not only gives us a chance toparticipate in the experience of others， but also succeeds in affecting our attitudes to and expectations aboutthings to happen.
3．為了培養文學藝術欣賞能力
用美學的術語來說，由於文學的表達美、技藝好，能作為藝術欣賞去研究。一部文學作品有其獨特的結構，本身就是一件藝術品，可根據文學理論來分析。當我們能這樣做的時候，我們就開始向文學批評的方向移去。然而，文學批評決不是否定或拈過拿錯，而是從美學的觀點對文學作品努力去說明、解釋和評價。實際上，我們對如何從藝術的觀點來分析文學作品學習得越多，對文學作品的理解就越深，對文學作品的鑒賞力就越好，從文學作品中得到的愉快和享受就越大。
3．To cultivate capacity of artistic appreciation
Because of its good craftsmanship and the beauty of expression in terms of aesthetics， literature canbe studied for artistic appreciation. A literary work， with its unique texture， is a self-contained piece of art，which can be analyzed in accord with literary theories. When we are able to do this， we begin to move in thedirection of literary criticism. However， literary criticism is by no means negative or fault-finding； it is anattempt to clarify， explain and evaluate literature from an aesthetic point of view. In fact， the more we learnabout how to analyze literature from an artistic point of view， the deeper our understanding and better ourappreciation of a literary work can be obtained， and greater still the pleasure and enjoyment can be drawnfrom it.
4．為了愉快而閱讀
正如有時我們為了放鬆就聽聽音樂，為了娛樂去看看電影，有時我們隻為愉快而讀讀文學作品。文學能給那些自願關照它的人帶去愉快。一般說來，文學給讀者講述的是一種與他們自己不同的令人激動的經曆或世事。有人可能會說有其他形形色色的給人愉快或娛樂的方法，但當我們最終被帶回到人類各種問題、感情和關係中的種種令人頭腦冷靜的現實時，是文學能使人們找到最大的愉快和滿足。其原因在於文學不是我們肉眼明顯地看到的一切東西的簡單複製，實際上，文學給我們提供的是對人類生活和社會現實特殊看法的一種想象的用以解釋的深思。
4．To read for pleasure
Sometimes we read for pleasure only， just as sometimes we listen to music for relaxation or go to a moviefor entertainment. Literature can bring pleasure by entertaining those who voluntarily attend to it. Generallyspeaking， literature offers readers narratives with an exciting world of experiences that is different from theirown. One may argue that there are a variety of other ways of giving pleasure or entertainment to people， yetwe discover that literature enables people to find the greatest pleasure and satisfaction when we are ultimatelybrought back to some sober-minded realities of human problems， feelings， and relationships. The reasonlies in the fact that literature is not simply a copy of what is obviously seen by our bare eyes； we are， in fact，furnished with an imaginative and interpretative reflection upon special views of human existence and socialreality.