文学对英语作为第二语言(ESL)或英语作为外语(EFL)的教学有着巨大的潜在效用。从语言的角度讲,文学可以促使学生掌握词汇和语法,也可以培养读、写、听、说四项言语技能。培养学生这四项言语技能的一系列活动,可以围绕着阅读文学作品展开。从文化的角度看,文学通过对特定环境下特定民族的认识和对全人类社会发展的考察,反映了特定环境下的民族的文化。从审美的角度出发,除了为文学本身的目的而教文学外,它还为读者提供了审美经验和认知经验,使之对人生有了更深刻的认识。文学诸要素——情节、人物、背景和主题——都有其特殊性,需要学生在阅读实践中运用特殊的阅读技巧。也正是这些要素,吸引了学生,使其读下去,从而促进了学生的阅读理解力。不仅如此,文学诸要素还为 Literature has great potential for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL). From a linguistic point of view, literature can promote students to master vocabulary and grammar, and can also develop four speech skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. A series of activities that train students in these four speech skills can focus on reading literature. From a cultural point of view, literature reflects the culture of a nation in a particular environment through its knowledge of a specific ethnic group in a particular environment and an examination of the development of all human beings. From an aesthetic point of view, in addition to teaching literature for the purpose of literature itself, it also provides the reader with aesthetic experience and cognitive experience that gives him a deeper understanding of life. Literary elements - plot, character, background and theme - have their own particularity, requiring students to use special reading skills in reading practice. It is also these elements, to attract students to read it, thus promoting the students’ reading comprehension. Not only that, but also for all the elements of literature