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 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
A Wee (Wii) Gaming Machine
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ReadOasis Step 2 Nintendo makes video games and gaming machines. It is one of the largest gaming companies in the world. Nintendo's popularity took off in 2006 with the release of the Nintendo Wii. The portable Nintendo DS is also extremely popular. In 2007, the company had an income... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Rachel Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) was an American marine biologist and nature writer. She started her career working for the government. She worked to take care of fish, animals, and the environment. But in the 1950s, she became a full-time nature writer.... 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
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
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
Get Down to Business in English
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ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) A Big Decision As usual, the boss spoke clearly and in short sentences. “Okay, it’s decided. This meeting is over. You all know what to do.” One by one, the managers closed their notebooks and stood up. There were no jokes and no laughter.... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) A library is a building full of treasures. We keep these treasures in books. Books give us knowledge, entertainment, laughter, pleasure, new information, and power to change our lives. If reading is so important, how can we help people read more? Libraries and schools... Read more
Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer (Step 3)
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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
By Max L. Knowles ReadOasis Step 1 A doctor was checking an older woman. When he finished, the doctor told her, "You're in good health. You'll live to be 80." "But doctor," the woman said, "I am 80 right now." With a smile, the doctor answered, "See, what did... Read more
By Cana Short ReadOasis Step 3 Now, you might be wondering, “How can this be a letter from Socrates, if Socrates never wrote anything?” It is true that I do not write much, at least not for others. But I am having my student Plato write this letter for... Read more
ET and Intelligent Life
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ReadOasis Step 2 The film ET warmed the hearts of millions of children and adults. It was funny and exciting. And it told a hopeful story about love and friendship. In one scene, ET points his finger to the sky. And he says, "ET phone home." This simple phrase... Read more
By Guy Kawasaki ReadOasis Step 5 The seventh thing is you need to follow what I call the 10-20-30 rule. I have this thing called Meniere's disease. Meniere's disease has three symptoms: hearing loss, tinnitus, which is a constant ringing in my ear, and sometimes I get dizzy or... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 What is the Golden Rule? Some people say, "If you have the gold, you make the rules!" But seriously, the Golden Rule is a guide for behavior that we find in almost all cultures, religions, and moral systems. This rule has two basic forms. A negative... Read more
JK Rowling and Harry Potter (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 After graduating from university in 1983, JK Rowling was living in London. She worked for the human rights group Amnesty International. But in 1990, she decided to move to Manchester. After spending a weekend looking for an apartment, she took the train back to London. It... Read more