Culture Step 2A

The Nation of Cuba

B1-Intermediate BNC Levels CEFR Levels Courses Culture Step 2A Protected Step 2 Stories Times July 28, 2019 1

ReadOasis Step 2 Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. The country is made of the island of Cuba, the Island of Youth, and a number of small islands. Cuba is just south of the US state of Florida. It is just north of Jamaica. On January... Read more

The Wonder of the Taj Mahal

BNC Levels Courses Culture Step 2A Listen!Protected Step 2 Stories Times July 22, 2019 0

By Mirah Mayer ReadOasis Step 2 The Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was completed around 1649 by the Muslim king Shah Jahan. Over 1,000 elephants and 22,000 workers took 22 years to build it. The Taj Mahal is located in the beautiful... Read more

Throwing Shoes for Protest

BNC Levels Courses Culture Step 2A Listen!Protected Step 2 Stories Styles 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

The Artful Geisha (Step 2)

Arts BNC Levels Courses Culture Step 2A Listen!Protected Step 2 Stories Styles May 24, 2019 1

ReadOasis Step 2 Geisha are traditional female entertainers from Japan. They are skilled at various Japanese arts, such as traditional music, dancing, and poetry. The word "geisha" comes from (GEI) meaning "art" and (SHA) meaning "person." In this sense, a geisha is an artist. In the 1920's, about 80,000... Read more

The Boy who Became Buddha

BNC Levels Courses Culture Step 2A Protected Step 2 Stories Styles May 9, 2019 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

Machu Picchu: The Lost City

BNC Levels Courses Culture Step 2A Protected Step 2 Stories Times April 21, 2019 1

ReadOasis Step 2 Hiram Bingham was a real Indiana Jones. He taught at Yale University. And he was an explorer. On July 24, 1911, Bingham was in Peru again. He was searching for the lost city of the Incas. His guide was Melchor Arteaga, a local farmer. They walked... Read more

The Doll Festival (Step 2)

BNC Levels Courses Culture Step 2A Protected Step 2 Stories Styles March 4, 2009 0

By Zoe Nova ReadOasis Step 2 Japan is a land of festivals. And on March 3, Japanese families may celebrate the "Hina Matsuri" or Doll Festival. This is also called Girl's Day. On Girl's day, families pray for the health and happiness of their girls. During the Doll Festival,... Read more

Black History Month

BNC Levels Courses Culture Step 2A Protected Step 2 Stories Styles February 16, 2009 0

ReadOasis Step 2 February is Black History Month in the US. The month honors important people and events about Africans who are spread out around the world. This tradition began in the US. The US and Canada celebrate black history in February, and the UK does so in October.... Read more