What’s the best way to improve your English? Of course, there are many ways. But big, easy reading is one of the best. And it probably has the most research and evidence to support it. What is big, easy reading? First, you read lots of books and stories. That’s... Read more
The Blues: Music of Survival
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Music Step 2APublicStep 2Stories August 16, 2018
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
Mike waited and waited. Was it going to be good news or bad news? Who would be in, and who would be out? Would he make the team or not? Finally, the coach put two lists on the door of the school gym. Mike looked at the list for... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 (Part 1) Jim sat into a soft, red chair. He looked down, and then he started to cry. “Am I asking too much?” he said. “I just want to be happy.” Dr. Jones gave Jim a box of paper tissues. “Thank you,” said Jim as he... Read more
ReadOasis Step 4 Man, how ignorant you are in your pride of wisdom! - Victor Frankenstein As a young man, Victor Frankenstein was obsessed with the mixture of science and magic, and he desired to discover and make medicine that would give eternal life to the drinker. And he became... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Mary Shelley was born on August 30, 1797 in London, England. She was the second daughter in her family. Her parents were Mary Wollstonecraft, a feminist, and William Godwin, a philosopher. Her mother died during childbirth. But her father was quick to marry again. Mary got... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 It’s Friday night, and the building is filling up with people. They have come for a prayer meeting. They have come to hear the teacher give a message. The teacher is called rabbi. As the meeting starts, the rabbi is standing in front. He looks at... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Annie Darwin was her father's joy, and she treated him with tender kindness. But in 1849 Annie became sick with severe fever. Charles struggled to cure her, but in 1851, Annie died and was buried in a small church in Worcestershire. The words on... Read more
ReadOasis Step 4 (Part 1) I am an alcoholic and an addict and I didn't want to see my children do the same thing. Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal singer Heavy metal is a style of rock music developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It has roots in... Read more
The Most Famous Not a Protest Song (Step 3)
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Music Step 3AProtectedStep 3Stories August 13, 2018
ReadOasis Step 3 The little boy didn't want to eat chicken. He did not like the flavor and smell, so he protested. He said, "I hate chicken! It tastes bad! I will never eat it -- ever! His mother looked at him and smiled. And she said, "Jimmy, that's... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Saint Paul (AD 3-62) is the first major Christian missionary and theologian. He was educated as a Jewish religious leader. And when Christianity began to spread, Paul worked hard to oppose and persecute Christians. But ironically he became a Christian himself after experiencing a vision of... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 What is the relationship between culture and health? The following study compares Italians, Japanese, and French with the British and Americans. First, we examine fat in the diet. The Japanese eat very little fat. The British and the Americans eat more fat than the Japanese. And... Read more
The Duke of Cowboy Actors
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Movies Step 2AProtectedStep 2Stories August 8, 2018 0
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
ReadOasis Step 2 These were the most difficult days of their lives. Their eyes were red and dry. These women had cried out all their tears. He was their leader and teacher. He was their best friend. He changed their lives and made their world new again. He gave... Read more
W.C. Handy: Father of the Blues (Step 3)
ArtsCoursesLevelsListen!Music Step 3AProtectedStep 3Stories August 7, 2018 0
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) "Then I saw the beauty of primitive music." W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues W.C. Handy at Age 19 W.C. Handy grew up in a small town in Alabama in the southern part of the US. His father was the pastor of a church,... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 With special thanks to storyteller Hugh Lupton. In the south of Oregon, near Lake of the Woods, young John Jones was walking through the forest. As he walked, he enjoyed the fresh air and the tall green trees. He came to an open field. The grass was... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 The man mixed the hemlock plant into a drink. It was a strong cup of poison. And then, a slave led the man into a room where Socrates was waiting. When Socrates saw the man, he said, "Now, good sir, you understand these things. What must... Read more
In this ReadOasis video, Dr. Hitoshi Nishizawa explains his research. He compared TOEIC scores for two kinds of students. Some studied for one year in English speaking countries. Others did extensive graded reading in Japan. Some of these students read more than 3 million words. And they got about... Read more
Interview with Dr. Charles Browne, Professor, Meiji Gakuin University. This is “Charles the Great,” from Meiji Gakuin University, and of course, English Central and many other places. And affectionately known as “Charlie.” We are going to ask him a couple of questions about extensive reading. first... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 When you are tired from work or study, what do you do? Many people drink coffee or an energy drink. But a new study suggests this. A short sleep might be better for you than a cup of coffee. Researchers studied caffeine. Caffeine is found in... Read more