ReadOasis Step 2 Joy is late for work. She runs out the door in a hurry to catch the bus. As she runs, she sees her neighbor. The neighbor looks at Joy and smiles. He says, "Good morning Joy! Have a great day!" Joy says, "Thanks, you too!" And... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Google is a company that provides internet search, email, and other online services. But Google makes other products too. Google Earth is a product that puts the world in your computer. It uses pictures taken from space. And Google Earth helps you locate and explore any... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) “Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go!” The crowd of college students screamed at Steve. He was quickly downing his sixth large glass of beer in less than an hour. When he finished, he slammed the glass down on a large glass table.... Read more
Rules for Your Working Brain (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 The bell rings. Students close their books and start packing their bags. Raising his voice, Professor Jones says, "Remember to read Chapter 6 before next class, and your first report is due in 3 days!" Some students groan. Mary rushes back to her room. She's got... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Jim Gaffigan is a funny man. In fact, he is so funny that he gets paid for it. As a popular entertainer, he writes jokes for a living. And because Jim Gaffigan is a large man, he makes a lot of jokes about his love for... Read more
Are Lectures Effective? (Step 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) The teacher stood in front of the class. He put his notes on a tall stand. The stand was in the middle of the room, and the teacher could move around behind it. As he faced the class, there were many windows on his... Read more
Spreading Accurate Information about AIDS
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ReadOasis Step 3 AIDS is a disease that attacks the immune system, the part of the body that fights infection. AIDS is deadly and global. Over 11 million children have lost parents to AIDS. From 1981 to 2007, more than 25 million people died of AIDS. That is more... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 The big bang theory is currently the accepted explanation for the origin and development of the universe. The theory proposes that the universe was once extremely compact and hot. The big bang event first occurred long ago in the distant past. And the universe has been... Read more
ReadOasis Step 5 Do you think that having a lucky charm or carrying out a superstitious ritual is irrational? Then it’s time to think again. In 2010, researchers had people carry out a range of tasks with and without the their lucky charms. The results were remarkable. When people... Read more
A Definition of Health (New Version)
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ReadOasis Step 1 A doctor was checking an older woman. When he finished, he told her this: “You’re in good health. You’ll live to be 80.” “But doctor,” the woman said, “I am 80 right now.” With a smile, the doctor answered, “See, what did I tell you?” This... Read more
Happiness in 59 Seconds (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) Jim sat into a soft, red chair. He looked down, and then he started to weep. "Am I asking too much?" he said. "I just want to be happy and fulfilled." Dr. Jones gave Jim a box of paper tissues. "Thank you," said Jim... Read more
ReadOasis Step 5 (Part 1) Sleepy By Varvara (Creative Commons) A young man sleeps in his bed. His face looks calm, not ready for what is about to happen. Sunlight from the window shines through white curtains and inches across the room. It slowly moves across the floor and... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 The round ship flew above the city. Millions of people watched on television. They couldn't believe their eyes, and they couldn't say a word. They just watched in shock. As the ship flew around, lights flashed. It sounded like a strange bird singing. Then it approached... Read more
Learn to Be Lucky (Step 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 Devin woke up late. He skipped breakfast and got in his car and drove off in a hurry. But the traffic was bad. "Another bad day," he said to himself. "Maybe I will have another accident." But he didn't have one more accident. He had two... Read more
A Nap is Better than Coffee (Step 4)
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ReadOasis Step 4 When you are tired from work or study, what do you do? Many people are addicted to coffee for staying alert, or they crave an energy drink to refresh themselves. But one study suggests that a short sleep might refresh you more than a cup of... Read more
The Mindset Message (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 Some people say that "hard work is more important than innate intelligence." To appraise this claim, researchers gave this message to a group of people. Then something remarkable happened. Right after hearing the message, the people manifested real changes in their brains. Is this true? Can... Read more
The Science of Painful Words (Step 1)
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ReadOasis Step 1 "If you cut me, I may bleed. But your words can't touch me. I'm too strong." This sounds powerful. But is it true? Are words just words? The answer is "no." Bad words are dangerous just like a knife. Unkind words make children unhappy. They cause... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 We live in the best of times. We live in the worst of times. We live in an age of wisdom. We live in an age of foolishness. We live in an age of light. We live in an age of darkness. In 1859, Charles Dickens... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Lori stopped her car at the red light. She looked down and saw that she needed gasoline. When the light turned green, she drove to the nearest gas station. She pulled up to the pump. She got out of the car, and she started pumping gas.... Read more
Get Power with Body Language (Step 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 "Power posing actually causes people to become more powerful." -- Amy Cuddy It was 4:00 A.M and still dark. A car was speeding down a long and lonely road in the wild country of Wyoming. Three young college girls were riding in the car. One sat... Read more