ReadOasis Step 2 English is currently the world’s common language. It’s the international language of business, politics, and the Internet. About 400 million people speak English as a first language. And about a billion people are learning it today. To learn any foreign language, we need motivation. Motivation is... Read more
Word Power is Life
A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsNGSL QuizzesPublicStep 2StoriesStylesWhy Read BigWords 0
ReadOasis Step 2 We all have something to say. A boy likes a girl, and so he says, “I like you!” A traveller gets lost, so he asks a stranger, “Can you show me the way?” A woman sees a man walk in front of a bus, and she... Read more
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 Boy who Became Buddha
B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesCulture Step 2AProtectedStep 2StoriesStyles 0
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
Ichiro and the Kings of Baseball
B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedSports Step 2AStep 2StoriesStyles 0
ReadOasis Step 2 It often happens in sport. A player just knows he will bring his team the victory. Is this true for Ichiro, that baseball wonder from Japan? Many people doubted his powers during the 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC). He struggled under the pressure. He failed many... Read more
Throwing Shoes for Protest
B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesCulture Step 2AListen!ProtectedStep 2StoriesStyles 0
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
The Honest Truth About Irony
B2-Intermediate+BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsListen!ProtectedStep 3StoriesStyles 0
ReadOasis Step 3 Creative Commons Photo by Oakley Originals Many of us know the story “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. A young husband and wife love each other deeply. But they are too poor to buy each other gifts at Christmas. After much thought, the man... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 A boy was about to go on his first date. He was worried about what to talk about, so he asked his father for advice. The father said, "My son, there are three subjects that always work. I suggest that you talk about food, family, and... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Julie is visiting the Spanish city of Madrid with her friends. One night, they decide to go to a beautiful restaurant in the Main Plaza of the city. Julie studied Spanish in high school, and she can communicate fairly well. But tonight she is having trouble... Read more
By Zoe NovaReadOasis Step 4 Japan is a land of festivals, and on the third day of the month of March, many Japanese families celebrate the Doll Festival, which is called "Hina Matsuri” in Japanese. This special day is also called Girl's Day, a day when families pray for... Read more
By Maria Sonora ReadOasis Step 1 Geisha are traditional performing artists from Japan. These women are good at various Japanese arts, such as traditional music, dancing, and song. The word "geisha" comes from Chinese words that mean "art" (GEI) and "person" (SHA). So "geisha" actually means "artist." In the... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 A man was driving his car down the road. He looked ahead and saw black smoke and orange fire coming out of a big, red truck. As he approached the accident, he saw the truck driver waving his hands. "Help!" Cried the truck driver "Help! My... Read more
International Etiquette
B3-Intermediate++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesCulture Step 3AListen!ProtectedStep 3StoriesStyles 0
ReadOasis Step 3 Note: The author, David Woodward, is a well-known expert in cross-cultural communication and education. This story comes from experiences of traveling, teaching, and doing business in over 45 countries. The goal is to show the basic idea of international etiquette. That is, how do we behave... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Sam took a deep breath. He looked at his audience, raised his hands, and started to speak. He began with a joke, but nobody laughed. He introduced himself. But some people just looked down and checked their phones. He told another joke. The response: silence. "This... Read more
A Book TrailerReadOasis Step 4 Sorted is built from a group of old school friends, most of whom couldn't cook. Ben, a chef, started showing us his recipes on the back of *beer mats. And what began as a small group of school mates looking for food solutions, has... Read more
A Great King of Baseball: Hank Aaron
A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsProtectedStep 2StoriesStyles 0
ReadOasis Step 2 Hank Aaron's 755th Home run ball by Dan Gaken (CC) Hank Aaron was born on February 5, 1934, in Mobile Alabama (USA). He was one of seven children. Aaron grew up poor, but he loved baseball. He started playing professional baseball with the Mobile Black Bears... Read more
Reading Should Be Fun!
A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsListen!PublicStep 2StoriesStylesTVWhy Read Big 1
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
Reading Makes Words Stick in Your Brain
B3-Intermediate++CEFR LevelsListen!PublicStep 2StylesTeachersWhy Read Big 0
ReadOasis: So here we are with Dr. Paul Nation, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wellington, Victoria (New Zealand). And of course one of the most well-known linguists in the world. It’s an honor to have him. Just one quick question for our learners: How can extensive graded reading help... Read more
The Biggest Sporting Event
A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedSports Step 2AStep 2StoriesStyles 1
ReadOasis Step 2 In 1982, England and Argentina were at war. They were fighting over the Falkland Islands. The English took the islands. But even today, Argentina claims them as their own. In 1986, England and Argentina fought again. But this time, it was in Mexico, at the World... Read more
A Simple Recipe for Learning English
A2-Beginner+BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsListen!PublicStep 1StoriesStylesTop Picks 2
ReadOasis Step 1 To learn English, we need words. Most English native speakers know between 12,000 and 20,000 words. Shakespeare used 31,534 words. And he probably knew more. How many words do you know? Naomi knows 95% of the words in Alice in Wonderland. She understands it without a... Read more