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Making Work Fun: The Levity Effect

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Public Step 3 Stories Top Picks January 21, 2020 2

A manager at a company was interviewing a job candidate. The manager said, “We need a very responsible person for this job. We need someone who can take charge.” The candidate’s eyes lit up, and he responded with great enthusiasm. “Sir, your search ends here! I’m the one. In... Read more

To Sell is Human

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 5 Stories January 9, 2020 0

Book Trailer by Daniel Pink ReadOasis Step 5 What if everything we knew about sales turned out to be wrong? For instance, we think the only people in sales are the folks who try to get us to buy stuff. That's sales as we know it, and it’s huge.... Read more

Say No to Overwork

A3-Beginner++Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 2 Stories January 9, 2020

ReadOasis Step 2 "I told you that you could do it! You worked hard and got into a great university. And now you have landed an excellent job at a big company! Congratulations on your success! You did it!" "Thank you, father," said Kenya, standing tall in his dark... Read more

A Giant of Business (Step 3)

B2-Intermediate+Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 3 Stories Times December 18, 2019 0

ReadOasis Step 3 Black liquid exploded 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 man very rich. John... Read more

The 10-20-30 Rule

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 5 Stories December 9, 2019 0

By Guy Kawasaki ReadOasis Step 5 The seventh thing is you need to follow what I call the 10-20-30 rule. I have this thing called Meniere's disease. Meniere's disease has three symptoms: hearing loss, tinnitus, which is a constant ringing in my ear, and sometimes I get dizzy or... Read more

Watch Out for Dragons

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 3 Stories November 22, 2019 0

ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit The floor, wall, and windows began to shake violently. “What in the world?” said John as he looked out the second... Read more

The Birth of Levi’s Jeans

A3-Beginner++Biz Biz Step 2A BNC Levels CEFR Levels Courses Protected Step 2 Stories November 21, 2019 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 Musical Money-Making Machine

B2-Intermediate+Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Courses Listen!Music Step 3A Protected Step 3 Stories November 20, 2019 0

ReadOasis Step 3 Carrie Underwood by Eva Rinaldi (Creative Commons) Carrie was a country girl from Checotah, Oklahoma. She lived on a farm, and in the mornings, she would help her father feed the cows. Carrie loved to sing. She started singing at church when she was 3 years... Read more

Born a Businessman (Step 2)

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 2 Stories November 19, 2019 2

ReadOasis Step 2 In 1966, Richard was 16 years old. He was a student, but he didn't like the way he was taught in school. He wanted to change his world, and he was going to do something about it. He decided to create a magazine that was for... Read more

A Giant of Business (Step 4)

Biz BNC Levels C1-Advanced CEFR Levels Protected Step 4 Stories October 26, 2019 0

By Tek Smith ReadOasis Step 4 Black liquid exploded out of the ground towards the sky. It was oil—black gold—and it had the energy to light up homes. It had the massive force to drive the engine of the American economy, and it had the power to make a... Read more

World Financial Crisis 2009

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 2 Stories October 10, 2019 0

ReadOasis Step 2 The world is in financial crisis. American employers cut 598,000 jobs in January 2009. This is the most job cuts in one month in the US since December 1974. 11.6 million people in the US don't have work. That is about 7.6% of people who can... Read more

Speak Not Ill of Thine Competitors

B2-Intermediate+Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 4 Stories August 18, 2019 1

By Tom Peters (Creative Commons) ReadOasis Step 4 Does this require more explanation than the Golden Rule (“Do unto others ... ”): Badmouthing competitors diminishes you. Period. “Win” with better product. “Win” with better relationships. “Win” when your industry is prospering and has a good reputation. (Think consultants, ad... Read more

The Ice Cream Man

A3-Beginner++Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Listen!Protected Step 1 Stories August 12, 2019 3

ReadOasis Step 1 Tom Carvel invented soft-serve ice cream. Carvel was born in Greece on July 14, 1906, and he moved to America when he was a child. As a young man, he borrowed $15 from his future wife Agnes, and he started selling ice cream from a truck.... Read more

Lean In

B1-Intermediate Biz Biz Step 2A BNC Levels CEFR Levels Courses Protected Step 2 Stories August 5, 2019 0

Book Trailer by Sheryl Sandberg ReadOasis Step 2 I entered the workforce believing that my generation was going to have equal responsibility and equal opportunity. And it didn't work out that way. Women are getting more college degrees, more graduate degrees, entering the workforce at every level. But in... Read more

Work on Your Story!

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 4 Stories July 29, 2019 1

By Tom Peters (Creative Commons) ReadOasis Step 4 He/she who has the best story wins! In life! In business! The White House! Consider the following: “A key — perhaps the key — to leadership is the effective communication of a story.” — Howard Gardner, Leading Minds: An Anatomy of... Read more

Big Time Car Trouble

B1-Intermediate Biz Biz Step 2A BNC Levels CEFR Levels Courses Protected Step 2 Stories July 22, 2019 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

Make Meaning in Business

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 3 Stories July 14, 2019 0

By Guy Kawasaki ReadOasis Step 3 The first thing I figured out and learned sometimes the hard way, about entrepreneurship is that the core, the essence of entrepreneurship is about making meaning. Many, many people start companies to make money, the quick flip, the dot-com phenomena. And I have... Read more

Winner Take All

Biz BNC Levels C1-Advanced CEFR Levels Protected Step 5 Stories July 9, 2019 0

Book Trailer by Dambisa Moyo ReadOasis Step 5 In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, commodity prices increased 150 percent. Over the last twenty years, rising resource demand and constrained commodity supply have increased global tensions and triggered over 20 wars and conflicts worldwide, with more inevitably to... Read more

A Culture of Bribery

B1-Intermediate Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 4 Stories July 8, 2019 0

ReadOasis Step 4 (Part 1) It was two hours before closing time. But Mr. Lee had to ask his customers to leave the store. “I’m very sorry. You have to leave now. I have special business to take care of.” His wife looked sad. "The store is so busy,... Read more

Born a Businessman (Step 3)

B3-Intermediate++Biz BNC Levels CEFR Levels Protected Step 3 Stories July 1, 2019 0

ReadOasis Step 3 In 1966, Richard was 16 years old. He was a student, but he was annoyed with the way he was taught in school. He wanted to change his world, and he was going to do something about it. He resolved to publish a magazine that was... Read more