ReadOasis Step 3 To inspire us to read more, it always helps to have a good role model. When I was a boy, my father read to me before I went to bed. I can still remember the books he read to me! In this way, my father showed... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) The buildings are rich in color and history. The trees are tall and stately. And the wind blows with the quiet whispers of the great people who have walked these paths. Eight American presidents have studied here. Some fifty Nobel Prize winners have been... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 If you were going to die, what would your final message be? This question inspired the tradition called "The Last Lecture." In a Last Lecture, professors imagine that they are going to die. Then they give a talk about their most important thoughts and ideas. The... Read more
The Best Way to Learn Language
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ReadOasis Step 2 What’s the best way to learn a foreign language? As a linguist, I hear this question all the time. My students are in Japan, and many of them want to learn English. So they often ask me, “What’s the best way to improve my English?” Students... Read more
By D.S. Aims ReadOasis Step 1 At the start of every year, millions of people make new resolutions. This means that they promise themselves to do something differently, or to try something new. For example, many people want to lose weight, quit smoking, or change another bad habit. Others... Read more
Reading a textbook isn't the same as reading a novel. Many people find it more difficult. They also find it less interesting. This is probably because they don't have a good reading system. Do you have a good system for reading textbooks? If not, SQ3R is a simple, five-step... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 To inspire us read more, it always helps to have a good role model. When I was a boy, my father read to me before I went to bed. I can still remember the books he read to me! In this way, my father showed me... Read more
Why is Christmas on December 25th?
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ReadOasis Step 2 Would you celebrate someone’s birthday even if no one knew the day when he or she was born? That is what happens around the world every year on December 25th, when most Christians remember Jesus’ birthday. We know a lot about Jesus. But we don’t know... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Every day Medgar Evers worked hard. He was doing his best to bring equal rights for African Americans. Evers lived in Mississippi in the 1960s. It was a place where African Americans did not have equality. They did not have the right to vote. Gasoline stations... Read more
By Daniel Pink (Author of A Whole New Mind) ReadOasis Step 3 Students choosing a college major should follow their interests. That’s easy. You should choose something you’re interested in, simple as that. If you try to choose your major based on getting a job when you graduate or... Read more
The Wisdom of Socrates (Step 3)
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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
How to Acquire Language (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 How do humans acquire languages? The answer is remarkably simple. All people everywhere acquire languages in the same way. “We acquire languages by understanding messages.” This is called the “comprehension hypothesis,” and it was made famous by the distinguished linguist Dr. Stephen Krashen. I give this... Read more
Music: Good for Your Ears
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ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Clive Wearing sits at the piano. He stretches out his hands and fingers. He takes a deep breath. Then he begins to play. His fingers strike the keys, and the piano hammers hit the strings. The strings vibrate in beautiful harmony and precise rhythm.... Read more
Saint Paul: The Most Influential Christian
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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 Adapted from Mahalo.com Mary and Joe are from Portland, Oregon. They are both sixteen years old, and they have many friends. But when they go to college, they may have to leave their hometown and friends. Mary likes the arts, especially music. And Joe likes English,... Read more
Confucius: An Icon of Chinese Culture
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By Max L. Knowles ReadOasis Step 4 (Part 1) The teacher spoke his mind. He told the truth as he saw it, and this apparently offended leaders who had great power. And so, the teacher, whose name was Confucius, was forced into exile. He had to leave the state... Read more
By Max L. Knowles ReadOasis Step 4 Philosophy is a discipline for thinking about the world, the universe, and people. Philosophy is abstract. It’s about ideas and thoughts, such as love, beauty, or truth. But philosophy also deals with the real world. Ethics is a part of philosophy, dealing... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 In his last year of high school, Alan didn't sleep much. Instead, he studied. Sometimes he crammed for exams all night. Sometimes he drank 3 or 4 cans of energy drinks so that he could study more. And he felt the agony of overwork. He got... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 One morning there was a loud knock at Dean Swift's door. His servant opened it. There was a man outside holding a fat duck that had just been killed. "Here's a present for Dean. It's from Mr. Boyle," the man said. He pushed the bird into... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) King John from the British Library There was once a king of England whose name was John. He was a bad king. He was strict and mean to his people. As long as he could have whatever he wanted, he did not care what... Read more