ReadOasis Step 1 (Part 1) John watched the river. The water was green and blue and full of fish. He looked at the leaves on the trees and the long, green grass. They were moving slowly in the quiet wind. This was a beautiful place. But suddenly, John heard... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 (Part 1) A thousand years ago, boys and girls did not learn to read. Books were very hard to find, and only a few men could read them. Each book was written with a pen or a brush. The pictures were painted by hand, and some... 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
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
ReadOasis Step 2 Robert Bruce by Edmund Leighton A long time ago, there was a man in Scotland named Robert the Bruce. He was the rightful king of Scotland. He had fought a battle with his enemies, the English. His little army had been beaten and scattered. Many of... Read more
By O. Henry ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. These pennies were saved one and two at a time. To save this money, she had to fight with the vegetable man, the meat man,... Read more
The Boy Who Cried Wolf (Step 1)
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By Aesop ReadOasis Step 1 (Part 1) Illustration by Milo Winter The Boy was sleepy. It was not interesting staying in the fields all day and watching sheep. The sheep always did the same thing. They ate grass. They walked around, and they ate more grass. After that, they... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) When King Edward the Third was the ruler, there was a poor boy named Dick Whittington. He had no parents, and he lived in a country village a long way from London. He was a smart little boy. He heard stories of London being... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 The Stone Baby was lonesome. He looked over the cold, gray city from the side of a great building. But he could not move. This was the place where he had to stay forever. Then he said to himself: "When it was summer, I could see... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 One warm day a Deer went down to a river to get a drink. The water was smooth, cool, and clear, and he could see himself in it. The Deer looked at his horns in the reflection and felt pride. He said to himself, "My horns... Read more
What’s the best way to improve your English? Of course, there are many ways. But big, easy reading is one of the best. And it probably has the most research and evidence to support it. What is big, easy reading? First, you read lots of books and stories. That’s... Read more
More Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt ReadOasis Step 3 Once upon a time there was a Goose who had beautiful golden feathers. Not far away from this Goose lived a very poor woman, who had two daughters. The Goose saw that they had a hard time to get... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Braille by Mario Sánchez Bueno Breaking News English has published an interesting story about a teenager who has made an inexpensive printer for the blind. A 13-year-old has made a cheap machine that helps blind people read. The machine uses Braille - small bumps that people... Read more
Reading Should Be Fun!
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Interview with Dr. Charles Browne, Professor, Meiji Gakuin University. This is “Charles the Great,” from Meiji Gakuin University, and of course, English Central and many other places. And affectionately known as “Charlie.” We are going to ask him a couple of questions about extensive reading. first... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit The floor, wall, and windows began to shake violently. “What in the world?” said John as he looked out the second... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 You are sitting in a nice restaurant. You are about to enjoy an expensive meal with a friend. But then a man sitting at the table next to you starts smoking. To make matters worse, he blows smoke in your face. Why? He doesn't want to... Read more
Experience Flow
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ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Shaun White is a world famous snowboarder. Watch him slide down the pipe in slow motion. He goes up one side and flies into the air at an extreme height. Time stands still. Coming down, he gains speed and lands smoothly. Then he rises... Read more
By Benjamin Franklin ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Benjamin Franklin By David Martin "The Way to Wealth" is an essay written by Benjamin Franklin in 1758. In it, Franklin focuses on two main ideas. The first is hard work, which he often calls “industry.” For example, an industrious person... Read more
Word Power is Life
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ReadOasis Step 2 We all have something to say. A boy likes a girl, and so he says, “I like you!” A traveller gets lost, so he asks a stranger, “Can you show me the way?” A woman sees a man walk in front of a bus, and she... Read more
The Festival of Lights
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ReadOasis Step 3 The sky is filled with fireworks. And the home is bright with the light of candles. Little children are dressed in colorful clothes. Their smiles are wide with the tastes of traditional sweets. And they dance to the beat of Indian music. This is the Festival... Read more