ReadOasis Step 2 Learning new words is a big part of learning any language. In English, well-educated native speakers know around 20,000 word families. That’s a lot! To read well in English without dictionary support, you need to know about 8,000 to 9,000 word families. That’s a lot, too.... Read more
ReadOasis Step 4 Once there was a famous philosopher. He was handsome and rich. He owned a large home on the ocean. And on the grounds of his home, there were horses and large areas of green grass where the horses could run. The philosopher also owned many cars,... Read more
A Coach for Life (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 The students stared at the lights on the scoreboard. Through their tears, the numbers were hard to see. They rubbed their eyes in disbelief. But the numbers still read Notre Dame - 71, UCLA - 70. It was impossible, even unbelievable. Between January 30, 1971, and... Read more
Book Trailer by Charles Duhigg ReadOasis Step 4 Imagine for a moment that you have a habit that you really want to change. Let's say for instance, you go up to the cafeteria every afternoon, and you eat a chocolate chip cookie. This habit has caused you to gain... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Hope filled the air on that famous day in August 1963. Over 200,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Abraham Lincoln's giant statue looked down quietly on the great crowd as Dr. Martin Luther King walked up to the... Read more
Photo Art: Composition (1 in a Series)
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ReadOasis Step 2 Cameras and photos are everywhere today. For example, Flickr is a photo sharing site. People put thousands of photos on Flickr every minute. And some of these photos are excellent. The photographer Ansel Adams once said this. "You don't take a photograph, you make it." This... Read more
ReadOasis Step 5 Creative Commons photo by Jiuguang-Wang Scientists have been experimenting with four-legged robots for years. They want robots to carry heavy loads over difficult areas of land and do other difficult jobs. But one problem is power. Now that has changed. Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of... Read more
Basic Tools for Good Thinking
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ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Cats and dogs have different philosophies. A dog thinks, "These people I live with feed me, love me, and take good care of me. They must be gods." But a cat thinks, "These people I live with feed me, love me, and take good... Read more
The Good in Nature (Step 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 In November 2004, the BBC News reported this amazing story. Near the North Island of New Zealand, lifeguard Rob Howes was training in the ocean water. He was with two co-workers and his young daughter. Then, like a scene from a horror movie, a great white... Read more
The Future on Your Wrist (Step 2)
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By Tek SmithReadOasis Step 2 The world was waiting with excitement. Three years earlier, Steve Jobs had died. Jobs was the head of Apple Computer. Under his leadership, Apple released many original products. These products included the iPod, the iPhone, iTunes, and the iPad. These Apple products caused great... Read more
The Fastest Growing Religion
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ReadOasis Step 2 The religion of Islam teaches that there is only one God. In Islam, God is called Allah. Followers of Islam are called Muslims. Their holy book is the Koran. Muslims believe God gave the Koran to a man named Muhammad in the year 610. And Muhammad... Read more
W.C. Handy: Father of the Blues (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 "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, and Handy... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Michelle ran out of the church. She got into her red Porsche, started the engine, and drove away. She turned onto Mulholland Drive and headed west, away from Los Angeles. With the top down, her white wedding veil and black hair blew in the... Read more
A Traditional Children's Song ReadOasis Step 1 This old man, he played one, He played knick knack with his thumb, With a *knick, knack, paddy whack, Give the dog a bone; This old man came rolling home. This old man, he played two, He played knick knack with my... Read more
The Best Things — Steve Jobs
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The following is a summary of a famous quote from Steve Jobs. Usually, people remember the part “Great artists steal.” But this is really about how to make “the best things.” It also shows how Steve Jobs blended the arts and sciences. Simple Version ReadOasis Step 1 It comes... Read more
A Big Idea: Critique of Pure Reason
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ReadOasis Step 3 By Will Durant (Re-presented in Basic and Essential English) Kant’s Critique is not a criticism, but a critical analysis. Kant is not attacking "Pure Reason." He hopes to show its potential. He wants to praise it above knowledge that is not pure and that comes through... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was a Japanese artist, painter, and maker of prints, called UKIYO-E. During his life, he was the leading expert on Chinese painting in Japan. His most famous work is The Great Wave off Kanagawa, created in the 1820s. The Great Wave comes from... Read more
Six Culture Conflicts (Part 1)
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ReadOasis Step 2 Joel held the warm, brown cup in both his hands. With his eyes, he smiled at Matt and drank his hot chocolate. "Ready to go?" asked Matt. "Yeah," said Joel. "Let’s go home." They stood up at the same time, put on their coats, and headed... Read more
Six Culture Conflicts (Part 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 Opinions differ about social problems. But here we will not focus on changing opinions. Instead, we want to ask a basic question. What do social problems teach us about cultural values and conflicts? To answer this question, we will look to the culture expert Geert Hofstede.... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 In 1966, Richard was 16 years old. He was a student, but he didn't like the way he was taught in school. He wanted to change his world, and he was going to do something about it. He decided to create a magazine that was for... Read more