B1-Intermediate

Making Work Fun: The Levity Effect

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Public Step 3 Stories Top Picks December 4, 2019 2

A manager at a company was interviewing a job candidate. The manager said, “We need a very responsible person for this job. We need someone who can take charge.” The candidate’s eyes lit up, and he responded with great enthusiasm. “Sir, your search ends here! I’m the one. In... Read more

The Blues: Music of Survival

Arts B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Courses Listen!Music Step 2A Public Step 2 Stories December 4, 2019

Four men were walking across a field. They were carrying a body wrapped up in white cloth. Their strong, black hands and arms supported the body as they walked on. Other men, women, and children walked behind. And the tall green trees listened. They listened to the cries of... Read more

Drifting Cowboy: Hank Williams

Arts B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Public Step 2 Stories Top Picks December 4, 2019 0

Hank would never make it to the concert. There were too many problems. It was icy cold outside. He sat under a cover in the back of his light blue Cadillac car. He was heading to the city of Canton, Ohio, to give a big concert on New Year’s... Read more

Meaning to Live (Step 2)

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Ideas Protected Step 2 Stories December 2, 2019 1

ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Viktor had just married Tilly. She was the love of his life. He was a young doctor in Vienna, Austria. And Viktor and Tilly should have expected a bright future together. But Nazi Germany was in control of Austria, and Viktor and Tilly were... Read more

Unforgettable Communication

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Step 3 Stories Styles December 2, 2019 1

ReadOasis Step 3 You are in class. The teacher is speaking, but you only hear noise, like hot air and wind. We often hear, and sadly speak, boring ideas. But can we learn to communicate successful and unforgettable ideas? Authors Chip and Dan Heath wrote the book, “Made to... Read more

The Life of Vincent van Gogh

Arts B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Step 2 Stories Times Top Picks November 30, 2019 9

ReadOasis Step 2 Every Sunday morning, Vincent would put on his best clothes. When he was ready, he would walk to the small, red brick church where his father was the pastor. On the way, he would pass a burial ground, and he would see stones and grave markers.... Read more

Dr. Day on Extensive Reading (TV)

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Sciences Step 2 Stories November 30, 2019 3

Transcript of the video. Extensive reading is an approach to the teaching of language which involves the students reading a lot of books that are easy and interesting and that they choose. Even though we say extensive reading is an approach to the teaching of reading, we've discovered through... Read more

Arthur Ashe: Tennis Great

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 3 Stories Styles November 30, 2019 1

ReadOasis Step 3 Arthur Ashe Arthur Ashe was a remarkable figure in U.S. sports. He was a professional tennis player who was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. Ashe won three of the most important tennis competitions in the world: the US Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon. He... Read more

Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer (Step 3)

Arts B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Step 3 Stories Times November 29, 2019 2

ReadOasis Step 3 Tom Sawyer gets in and out of trouble all the time. But he has a good heart, and he slowly grows to become a leader among his friends. His leadership ability was always there; it was just hidden in his playful heart and free spirit. The... Read more

Update Your Mental and Cultural Software

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Step 2 Stories Styles November 28, 2019

ReadOasis Step 2 Neo looked at the chair. On the backrest, he saw wires connected to a sharp object. “It looks like an old electric chair,” he said. Morpheus answered in his deep voice. “We use the adapter to connect your brain to the mainframe computer. Then we can... Read more

Serious About Humor (Step 2)

Arts B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Courses Movies Step 2B Protected Step 2 Stories November 28, 2019

ReadOasis Step 2 It's early in the morning. A funny looking man is getting ready for work. He looks up at the clock on the wall. Then his eyes pop wide open. He's running late! He hurries to the kitchen. He opens the coffee jar and fills his spoon... Read more

Cupid and Psyche

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 2 Stories Story November 27, 2019 0

Adapted from the Greek Story By Carolyn S. Bailey Retold by ReadOasis at Step 2 (Part 1) There was once a beautiful earth-girl named Psyche. But she was lonely because she had no one to play with. Every day Psyche would run and play in the forests and hills.... Read more

Geronimo! (Step 3)

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Step 3 Stories Times November 26, 2019 1

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

Become a Barefoot Bilingual

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Step 3 Stories Styles November 25, 2019

ReadOasis Step 3 Bruce looked down at the blue ocean below. In the distance, he saw the green hills and snow covered mountains behind the city of Santa Marta, Colombia. “I arrive in Argentina in 7 hours,” he thought. “Time to get some sleep.” Bruce fell asleep and dreamt.... Read more

Edward Jenner and the Smallpox Vaccine

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Sciences Step 3 Stories November 24, 2019 1

ReadOasis Step 3 Edward Jenner (1749-1823) was an English scientist who is known for using cowpox to perform one of the first vaccinations against smallpox. About six others tried this procedure as well. These included the farmer Benjamin Jesty, who in 1774 infected his wife and two of his... Read more

The Most Poisonous Animal

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Sciences Step 3 Stories November 23, 2019 3

By Cana Short ReadOasis Step 3 One day Rachael Shardlow was swimming in the sea, near the mouth of the Calliope River in eastern Australia. Suddenly, she felt something wrap around her legs. A stinging pain shot through her body. Almost instantly, she couldn't see or breathe. Her brother... Read more

Watch Out for Dragons

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 3 Stories November 22, 2019 0

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

Self-Testing Helps You Remember

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Sciences Step 2 Stories November 22, 2019 1

ReadOasis Step 2 Dr. Katherine Rawson says that taking practice tests can help you remember information. This is especially true if the practice test pushes you to recall something from memory. Rawson said, "It's surprising that we know very little about why testing improves memory." This is surprising because... Read more

How to Acquire Language (Step 3)

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Ideas Listen!Protected Step 3 Stories November 21, 2019 0

ReadOasis Step 3 How do humans acquire languages? The answer is remarkably simple. All people everywhere acquire languages in the same way. "We acquire languages by understanding messages." This is called the "comprehension hypothesis," and it was made famous by the distinguished linguist Dr. Stephen Krashen. I give this... Read more

A Small World of English

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Ideas Protected Step 2 Stories Top Picks November 20, 2019 0

ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Is it a small world after all? What do you think? Travellers easily move all around the world in the air. By the power of the Internet, a teacher in New Delhi meets face to face with a student in London. Through video link,... Read more