ReadOasis Step 2 At age 18, Mandy Harvey lost most of her ability to hear. As a child and during her teenage years, Mandy loved to sing. But she stopped singing for a time after she went deaf. But then she learned to feel a song's beat through the... Read more
Walt Disney’s Impossible Dream
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ReadOasis Step 2 In 1934, Walt Disney began plans to make a movie. He wanted to create the first full-length animated film. But when people heard about his idea, they said it was a mistake. They thought it would destroy the Disney studio. Even Disney's brother and wife tried... Read more
Johnny Cash: The Man in Black (Step 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 Johnny started singing, but he looked uncomfortable. The audition was not going well. Sam Phillips, the producer, listened politely. But he didn't smile. Johnny kept singing, but with no confidence. Then Mr. Phillips said, "Hold up!" Johnny and his friends stopped playing. Phillips said, "I hate... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) The buildings are rich in color and history. The trees are tall and stately. And the wind blows with the quiet whispers of the great people who have walked these paths. Eight American presidents have studied here. Some fifty Nobel Prize winners have been... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 If you were going to die, what would your final message be? This question inspired the tradition called "The Last Lecture." In a Last Lecture, professors imagine that they are going to die. Then they give a talk about their most important thoughts and ideas. The... Read more
Is Extensive Reading Good for You?
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Here is a short interview with Dr. Richard Day. Dr. Day is a Professor at the University of Hawaii in the Department of Second Language Studies. He is a well-known and highly regarded linguist. In this interview on ReadOasis TV, Professor Day answers this question. Is extensive reading good... Read more
Pleasure, Success, and Reading
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ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Mary lay down on the sofa with her book, and she opened it again. She couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. She loved science fiction, and this book was one of the most famous sci-fi books of all time: 2001: A... Read more
Music and Mindfulness – with Christopher Hardy
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ReadOasis Step 2 Christopher took his seat in the middle of the concert hall. A flow of people filled the room. The lights went dark, and all the talking heads turned silent. In the quiet and dark, electricity filled the air as people waited for the music. And when... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Creative Commons Photo by Fran001@Yahoo Genghis Khan was a great king and warrior of the Mongol Empire. He led his army into China and Persia, and he conquered many lands. In every country, men told about his daring deeds. They said that since Alexander... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 On the fateful day of March 6, 1858, a young Native American man said goodbye to his family. Today we know this man as Geronimo. On that day, he was going with his brothers to trade in a nearby town. His wife and mother stayed home... Read more
Henry Ward Beecher, Friend of Slaves (Step 2)
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By Max L. Knowles ReadOasis Step 2 On February 5, 1860, a strange thing happened at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, New York. Church members were not having a “bake sale.” They were having a “slave sale.” But this sale was backwards. Church members were buying the freedom of a... Read more
Every Day I Have the Blues
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ReadOasis Step 2 Memphis Slim at the Piano Long black fingers were dancing. They were dancing on the white and black keys of the piano. From the comfort of their homes, people watched on their televisions. And they listened to the blue sounds of the piano. The piano player... Read more
Mary Shelley: Author of Frankenstein
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ReadOasis Step 3 Mary Shelley was born on August 30, 1797 in London, England. She was the second daughter in her family. Her parents were Mary Wollstonecraft, a feminist, and William Godwin, a philosopher. Her mother died during childbirth. But her father was quick to marry again. Mary got... Read more
Mohandas Gandhi: Promoter of Peace (Step 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 Mohandas Gandhi is known as the father of India. He was a politician, thinker, and religious leader. In Gandhi's time, the British had ruled India for about 190 years. And many Indians suffered under the British. Gandhi helped India become free from British rule. He fought... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Long, long ago, there lived a king and queen. They had everything to make them happy. They had servants, lands, gold, and the finest castle. But more than anything, they wanted a child. But they did not have one. Finally, after many years, they... Read more
The Most Famous Not a Protest Song (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 The little boy didn't want to eat chicken. He did not like the flavor and smell, so he protested. He said, "I hate chicken! It tastes bad! I will never eat it -- ever! His mother looked at him and smiled. And she said, "Jimmy, that's... Read more
The Duke of Cowboy Actors
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ReadOasis Step 2 May 26th marks the birth of the great American film star John Wayne. He was born in the US state of Iowa in 1907 with the name Marion Morrison. His father’s poor health caused the family to move to Southern California. And there, Wayne attended school... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps apologized to his fans after a newspaper published pictures of him using a marijuana pipe. Phelps won 8 gold medals in the 2008 Olympic Games. And he has won a total of 14 golds. But on February 2, 2009 a newspaper showed... Read more
By Robert Louis Stevenson ReadOasis Step 3 At evening when the lamp is lit, Around the fire my parents sit; They sit at home and talk and sing, And do not play at anything. Now, with my little gun, I crawl All in the dark along the wall, And... Read more
W.C. Handy: Father of the Blues (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) "Then I saw the beauty of primitive music." W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues W.C. Handy at Age 19 W.C. Handy grew up in a small town in Alabama in the southern part of the US. His father was the pastor of a church,... Read more