Culture Step 2A | ReadOasis

The Artful Geisha (Step 2)

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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

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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

The Nation of Cuba

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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

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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

The Doll Festival (Step 2)

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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

Machu Picchu: The Lost City

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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

Throwing Shoes for Protest

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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

Black History Month

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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