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Fred Astaire, Dancer Extraordinaire

Fred Astaire, Dancer Extraordinaire

ArtsB1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesMovies Step 2BProtectedStep 3Stories 1

ReadOasis Step 3 "Some people seem to think that good dancers are born, but all the good dancers I have known are taught or trained." -- Fred Astaire It was a dark time. In 1929, the American economy crashed. Many people lost all their money. Almost half the banks... Read more
The Boy who Became Buddha

The Boy who Became Buddha

B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesCulture Step 2AProtectedStep 2StoriesStyles 0

ReadOasis Step 2 He was born in 1935 -- in a poor farmer's home in northeast Tibet. At age 2, he was recognized as the 14th Buddha of Compassion. Buddha's soul had again appeared in a child. And this boy was the Buddha. He was taken to a palace... Read more
Ichiro and the Kings of Baseball

Ichiro and the Kings of Baseball

B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedSports Step 2AStep 2StoriesStyles 0

ReadOasis Step 2 It often happens in sport. A player just knows he will bring his team the victory. Is this true for Ichiro, that baseball wonder from Japan? Many people doubted his powers during the 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC). He struggled under the pressure. He failed many... Read more
Isaac Albéniz, Genius of Spanish Music

Isaac Albéniz, Genius of Spanish Music

ArtsB1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesMusic Step 2BProtectedStep 2Stories 1

By Maria SonoraReadOasis Step 2 Isaac Albéniz (May 29, 1860 - May 18, 1909) was a genius of Spanish music. He gave his first concert when he was four years old. And at the young age of nine, he began his concert career. By age 15, he had given... Read more
Throwing Shoes for Protest

Throwing Shoes for Protest

B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesCulture Step 2AListen!ProtectedStep 2StoriesStyles 0

ReadOasis Step 2 In recent times, shoe throwing has become an international form of protest. On Monday, February 2, 2009, a young man threw a shoe at Wen Jiabao, the Prime Minister of China. The event took place at Cambridge University in the UK. The young man was arrested... Read more
Babe: A Good Mannered Pig

Babe: A Good Mannered Pig

ArtsB1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesListen!Movies Step 2AProtectedStep 2Stories 3

ReadOasis Step 2 Babe is a young pig who wants to become a sheep dog. He is separated from his family, and he finds himself on a strange farm. Babe becomes confused and lonely. But a friendly sheep dog takes care of him. And Babe slowly adjusts to his... Read more
Get Down to Business in English

Get Down to Business in English

B1-IntermediateBizBiz Step 2BBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedStep 2StoriesTop Picks 1

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. Everyone... Read more
James Watt and the Teapot

James Watt and the Teapot

A2-Beginner+BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesInvention Step 2AProtectedStep 2StoriesTech 0

ReadOasis Step 2 A little boy was sitting in his grandmother's kitchen. He was watching the red fire in the wide open fireplace. He quietly thought about the causes of things. He was always thinking and always wanting to know how things worked. "Grandma," he asked, "what makes the... Read more
A Wee (Wii) Gaming Machine

A Wee (Wii) Gaming Machine

B1-IntermediateBizBiz Step 2ABNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedStep 2StoriesTech 1

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
The Birth of Levi’s Jeans

The Birth of Levi’s Jeans

A3-Beginner++BizBiz Step 2ABNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedStep 2Stories 2

ReadOasis Step 2 Rivets By Rohit Gowaikar (Creative Commons) Levi Strauss was born in Germany in 1829. At 18, he joined his brothers in America. They had a dry goods business in New York City. At that time, many people were moving to California in search of gold. Levi... Read more
A Giant of Business (Step 2)

A Giant of Business (Step 2)

B1-IntermediateBizBiz Step 2ABNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedStep 2Stories 0

By Tek SmithReadOasis Step 2 Black liquid flew out of the ground and towards the sky. It was oil, black gold. And it had the power to light up homes. It had the power to run the engine of the American economy. It had the power to make a... Read more
Culture of Innovation (Step 2)

Culture of Innovation (Step 2)

B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesIdeasInvention Step 2AProtectedStep 2Stories

ReadOasis Step 2(Part 1) It was a warm summer evening. The sun had already set, and the city lights were shining. In a busy part of Tokyo, people were leaving work. Some were going home. Others were going out to enjoy the evening. It was an ordinary night. But... Read more
Gregor Mendel: Father of Genetics

Gregor Mendel: Father of Genetics

B2-Intermediate+BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesInvention Step 3AListen!ProtectedSciencesStep 3Stories 2

ReadOasis Step 3 A great tree comes from a small seed, and from small beginnings come great things. He made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of science. But during his life, Gregor Mendel was a relatively unknown man. After his death, he became famous for his... Read more
International Etiquette

International Etiquette

B3-Intermediate++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesCulture Step 3AListen!ProtectedStep 3StoriesStyles 0

ReadOasis Step 3 Note: The author, David Woodward, is a well-known expert in cross-cultural communication and education. This story comes from experiences of traveling, teaching, and doing business in over 45 countries. The goal is to show the basic idea of international etiquette. That is, how do we behave... Read more
Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven

ArtsB1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesMusic Step 3BProtectedStep 3Stories 0

By Douglas ForsterReadOasis Step 3(Part 1) “And we’re back. I’m Jim Ladd, and you’re listening to KMET. We’re the south’s number one station for the rock and roll music you need for your soul. Before the break, I announced that I would be accepting requests. And boy, have you... Read more
The Biggest Sporting Event

The Biggest Sporting Event

A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedSports Step 2AStep 2StoriesStyles 1

ReadOasis Step 2 In 1982, England and Argentina were at war. They were fighting over the Falkland Islands. The English took the islands. But even today, Argentina claims them as their own. In 1986, England and Argentina fought again. But this time, it was in Mexico, at the World... Read more
Transforming South Africa

Transforming South Africa

B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesCulture Step 3AProtectedStep 3StoriesTimes 2

ReadOasis Step 3 It was an October day in 1993. The world watched as history was made. It seemed impossible just a few years back. But Nelson Mandela and Frederick de Klerk were receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. They had transformed the nation of South Africa. Mandela and de... Read more
Number 42 (Step 2)

Number 42 (Step 2)

A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesMovies Step 2AProtectedSports Step 2AStep 2StoriesTimes

ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Jackie Robinson -- Number 42 (Image Wikipedia) A man stepped onto the baseball field. He walked across the green grass. His black hands held onto a white baseball bat. He adjusted his blue hat to keep the sun from his eyes. And as he... Read more
Big Time Car Trouble

Big Time Car Trouble

B1-IntermediateBizBiz Step 2ABNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedStep 2Stories 0

ReadOasis Step 2 US car makers are in serious trouble. Their sales fell about 35% in January compared with last year. Ford Motor Company sales dropped 42%. General Motors reported a 49% drop. But Chrysler was hardest hit. Their sales went down 55%. This decline in sales is not... Read more
Richard Wagner, Musician

Richard Wagner, Musician

ArtsB2-Intermediate+BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesMusic Step 2BProtectedStep 2Stories 1

ReadOasis Step 2 Richard Wagner Richard Wagner was born on May 22, 1813. He was a famous German musician and writer. He wrote operas, or "music dramas." Unlike many writers of opera, he wrote the words and music for all his works. Wagner's music is known for being intense,... Read more
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