The present article questions the assumption that the prime reason for the study of foreign languages is to develop the ability to cope with literary masterpeices in the original. A novel is written to be enjoyed; part of the enjoyment lies in the relaxation derived from undertaking a satisfying activity. It must be acknowledged, however, that many students have no literary bent, and seldom read a "classic" even in their own language except for examination purposes. Many students are not capable of successfully meeting the formidable challenge of the final examination: they have thoroughly mastered even the present-day form of the target language, let alone come to the stage of enjoying reading for its own sake. It is glibly claimed that the reading of the best examples of the literature of the foreign language is valuable for its cultural insights; this is doubtful, for mediocre literature is more representative of a culture than its more refined counterpart. Teaching sights have to be considerably lowered, lined on a utilitarian target in the hope that the student can be equipped to read professional journals or other material that will be helpful to him in future studies or in his career. The problem is to encourage the learner to read anything at all on his own initiative in the foreign language. (Appended is a questionnaire sheet for the student's record.) (AMM)