Dorothy looked up into the sky. And she started to sing. Her soft voice rose up gently in the air. Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There’s a land that I’ve heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue And the dreams that... Read more
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
Get Down to Business in English
BizBiz Step 2BCoursesLevelsProtectedStep 2StoriesTop Picks June 17, 2019 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.... Read more
Babe: A Good Mannered Pig
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Movies Step 2AProtectedStep 2Stories June 17, 2019 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
Call of Duty Game Breaks Records Again
BizBiz Step 2BCoursesLevelsNewsProtectedStep 2Stories June 16, 2019 1
ReadOasis Step 2 The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported this gaming news on November 12, 2010, summarized here at ReadOasis Step 2. The video game Call of Duty: Black Ops reached first-day sales of $360 million in the U.S. and U.K. The game is made by the company Activision.... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) It was a cool winter night in January 2002 in New York. The city that never sleeps was wide-awake and full of movement. Even in the cold, you could feel the energy of arts, entertainment, culture, and money. That week, top business, political, media,... Read more
By Douglas Forster ReadOasis 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,... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Miles Davis (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was one of the most important musicians of the twentieth century. He helped to develop many styles of modern jazz music. These styles include cool jazz and jazz fusion. Cool jazz has a calm, relaxed, and smooth... Read more
Ichiro and the Kings of Baseball
CoursesLevelsProtectedSports Step 2AStep 2StoriesStyles June 13, 2019 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
Music as Medicine Hot
CoursesInvention Step 3ALevelsListen!Music Step 3AProtectedSciencesStep 3StoriesTop Picks June 11, 2019 2
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) You are watching TV. On the screen, you see the two strong hands of a man. In his left hand, he holds a book of matches. In his right hand, he holds a single match. With his right hand, he strikes the match on... Read more
Country Music Icon: Hank Williams
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Music Step 3AProtectedStep 3Stories June 11, 2019 0
ReadOasis Step 3 It was the middle of America’s Great Economic Depression. Hank Williams was just seven when his father left. The stress from World War I still burned in his father’s brain, and he committed himself into Veteran’s hospital. Hank’s mother worked. She played organ at church, and... Read more
Throwing Shoes for Protest
CoursesCulture Step 2ALevelsListen!ProtectedStep 2StoriesStyles June 11, 2019 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
Jesse James: Robber or Robin Hood?
CoursesLevelsListen!Movies Step 2AProtectedStep 2StoriesTimes June 11, 2019 1
ReadOasis Step 2 It was just past noon on December 7, 1869. Two brothers walked into a bank in Gallatin, Missouri. Their names were Frank and Jesse James. One of them, maybe Jesse, walked up to the bank clerk and asked to exchange a $100 bill. The bank clerk... Read more
Johnny Cash: The Man in Black (Step 3)
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Music Step 3BProtectedStep 3Stories June 10, 2019 0
ReadOasis Step 3 Johnny Cash was a man of great presence, as if born from an ancient legend that reveals the contradictions of human life. Cash died in 2003, but he gave us a vast collection of over 50 years of music. He also created his own genre, between... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 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, complex, and... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 The One Ring was power, and the Council had it. If a man wore it, he could control the world. But the Ring's power came from Sauron. His power -- in the ring -- would destroy you. And his power would destroy all goodness. The Council... Read more
The Biggest Band (Step 2)
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Music Step 2AProtectedStep 2Stories June 6, 2019 1
By Maria Sonora ReadOasis Step 2 Imagine By Diego Torres Silvestre (Creative Commons) It was a hot August night in New York City, 1965. Two thousand policemen were in charge of security. They watched carefully as 55,000 fans filled Shea Stadium. But this was not for a baseball... Read more
The Festival of Lights
CoursesCulture Step 3ALevelsListen!ProtectedStep 3StoriesStyles June 5, 2019 0
ReadOasis Step 3 The sky is filled with fireworks. And the home is bright with the light of candles. Little children are dressed in colorful clothes. Their smiles are wide with the tastes of traditional sweets. And they dance to the beat of Indian music. This is the Festival... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 The film Slumdog Millionaire is about an 18-year-old boy from Mumbai, India. He comes from a poor part of the city. And he wins a large cash prize on a TV game show. But after he wins, he is arrested by the police. The police think... Read more
International Etiquette
CoursesCulture Step 3ALevelsListen!ProtectedStep 3StoriesStyles May 31, 2019 0
ReadOasis Step 3 Note: Mr. Woodward is President of Associates in Cultural Exchange (A.C.E.). A.C.E. has language institutes at two university locations: A.C.E at Seattle Pacific University and A.C.E at Montana State University. This story comes from experiences of traveling, teaching, and doing business in over 45 countries. The... Read more