Step 2 | ReadOasis

Break Free from Bad Academic Writing!

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ReadOasis Step 2 The interviewer's question hit hard. "Why do academics write so poorly? Is it on purpose?" Wait a minute! Academics are bad writers? How could that be? They're smart, right? They stand as good examples of clear thinking, don't they? But the answer hit back harder. It... Read more

Reading Power Wins Big on TOEIC Test

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ReadOasis Step 2 Kenta looked at the envelope. His test score was inside. He opened it and read the words: "TOEIC Official Score Report. Total Score: 290." For a first-year university student, the score was low. Like all Japanese, Kenta had studied English for 6 years in junior high... Read more

A Test of Values – You Make the Call

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ReadOasis Step 2 Jordan stood in line waiting for the doors to open. He felt nervous, but ready. Today's test would decide his future. If he passed, he would enter Canada's best university. If he failed, he didn't know what he would do. Suddenly, somebody touched Jordan on the... Read more

How to Avoid Stupid Cultural Mistakes!

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ReadOasis Step 2 On his first meeting in Korea, Earl came late. But he entered the meeting room with a big smile on his face. And there stood Mr. Kim. For a few long seconds, the room filled up with an uneasy silence. Then Earl gave Mr. Kim a... Read more

Words for Breaking Stereotypes

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ReadOasis Step 2 When Steve met Mariko in Tokyo, he was in for a surprise. She shook his hand. She smiled. She spoke with confidence in a big voice. And she gave clear and strong opinions. They ate lunch at a sushi place. Mariko smiled and said, "I hate... Read more

The Magic of Hidden Culture

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ReadOasis Step 2 On his first day in Spain, Harry got lost in Madrid. He thought: "These streets aren't like home in Toronto." 500-year-old buildings. Gray stone streets. Red meat hanging in shop windows. The smell of fresh bread. The sound of a guitar in the park. "So, this... Read more

Cultural Quest — 10 Key Questions

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ReadOasis Step 2 The alarm sounded. "Beep, beep, beep!" The morning sun shone into Zoe's room. As she opened her eyes, she saw her plane ticket. Tokyo. "Oh my," she said to herself. "The day is here! I'm really going." Today, Zoe will fly for the first time. And... Read more

The Good Speaker’s Secret

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ReadOasis Step 2 Gary stood in front of the class. He looked at all his students. He opened his mouth to speak. But the students didn't listen. They talked to each other. He started speaking again. "Today, I want to talk about The Old Man and the Sea. Do... Read more

How to Think About Scary Facts

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Greg sat down and started watching TV. He saw scary car chases and fiery plane crashes. He felt shocked as he watched the violence of murder and war. Greg felt moved to tears by emotional music and scenes of terrible events. It felt like a powerful TV drama. But... Read more

Where Did Tetris Come From?

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ReadOasis Step 2 Tetris stands as one of the most popular games of all time. The game was created in 1984 by a Russian software engineer, Alexey Pajitnov. He wanted to make a game that was simple to play but had a lot of variety. Though the game rose... Read more

Do You Know How Your Body Talks?

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ReadOasis Step 2 Do you know how your body talks? Can it help you share your thoughts and feelings? A famous psychologist, Albert Mehrabian, studied these questions. He looked at how our bodies show others what we think and feel. Let's see what he found with two simple examples.... Read more

Cars, Cars, Cars

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ReadOasis Step 2 In the modern world, many people cannot live easily without a car, but just 100 years ago, that was not the case. The Ford Motor Company produced its first car in 1903. It was called the Ford Model A, and a doctor from Chicago, Illinois, became... Read more

Push-ups and Health

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ReadOasis Step 2 During the 1930s and 40s, Jack LaLanne became famous for fitness. He was one of the first people to open a modern health and fitness club. He was one of the first to get athletes to work out with weights. And he was one of the... Read more

Can International Students Work in the US?

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ReadOasis Step 2 International students can work for the college or university that they attend. They can also work for a business at the school. But the business must directly serve students at that school. For example, you could work at the bookstore. But you could not work for... Read more

The Doll Festival (Step 2)

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By Zoe NovaReadOasis Step 2 Japan is a land of festivals. And on March 3, Japanese families may celebrate the "Hina Matsuri" or Doll Festival. This is also called Girl's Day. On Girl's day, families pray for the health and happiness of their girls. During the Doll Festival, you... Read more

Yoshitoshi, Master of Block Prints

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ReadOasis Step 2 In Japan, there is a special kind of painting called "ukiyo-e." The word literally means "pictures of the floating world." Ukiyo-e are woodblock prints. This form of art is widely known through the paintings of Hokusai, especially his famous "Great Wave." Many ukiyo-e artists left their... Read more

Culture and Health

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ReadOasis Step 2 What is the relationship between culture and health? The following study compares Italians, Japanese, and French with the British and Americans. First, we examine fat in the diet. The Japanese eat very little fat. The British and the Americans eat more fat than the Japanese. And... Read more

Rakugo: A Funny Side of Japan

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ReadOasis Step 2 Sakura started to cry. "No Tora-san! You can't leave again! I know that life is hard for you here. But when you leave, it's harder for me." Tora-san watched Sakura cry and wipe her tears. He felt so sorry for her, but he didn't say anything.... Read more

A Brief History of Stephen Hawking

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ReadOasis Step 2 Stephen Hawking is one of the world's leading theoretical physicists. (A physicist studies the relationship between matter and energy in space and time.) Hawking has written many science books for non-scientists. His most famous book is called "A Brief History of Time." It has sold over... Read more

Indian Princess: Pocahontas (Step 2)

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ReadOasis Step 2(Part 1) John watched the river flow. The water was green and blue and full of fish. He looked at the leaves on the trees and tall grass. They were moving softly in the quiet wind. This was a beautiful and wild place. But suddenly John heard... Read more