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
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
Get Down to Business in English
B1-IntermediateBizBiz Step 2BBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedStep 2StoriesTop Picks 1
ReadOasis Step 2(Part 1) A Big Decision As usual, the boss spoke clearly and in short sentences. “Okay, it’s decided. This meeting is over. You all know what to do.” One by one, the managers closed their notebooks and stood up. There were no jokes and no laughter. Everyone... 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 When I grow up, I still want to be a director. -Steven Spielberg This quote shows the magic of movies. Steven Spielberg is a grown man, but he loves the movies like a child. He feels a sense of wonder about them. He is already a... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Apple Computer has revolutionized tech. In 1984, Apple released the Macintosh. It was the first successful personal computer with a mouse and menus. In 2001, Apple released the iPod. With the first iPod, you could carry "1000 songs in your pocket." Today an iPod can hold... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Braille by Mario Sánchez Bueno Breaking News English has published an interesting story about a teenager who has made an inexpensive printer for the blind. A 13-year-old has made a cheap machine that helps blind people read. The machine uses Braille - small bumps that people... Read more
Where Did It All Come From?
B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsIdeasListen!ProtectedStep 2Stories 0
ReadOasis Step 2 A father and son are enjoying the night sky together. The moon and stars are shining brightly. The boy asks, "Where did it all come from?" The father answers simply, "God made it." "But Daddy, if God made it all, who made God?" This question has... Read more
A Giant of Business (Step 2)
B1-IntermediateBizBiz Step 2ABNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesProtectedStep 2Stories 0
By Tek SmithReadOasis Step 2 Black liquid flew 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... Read more
The Good in Nature (Step 3)
B2-Intermediate+BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsIdeasListen!ProtectedStep 3Stories 0
By Max L. Knowles ReadOasis Step 3 In November 2004, the BBC News reported this extraordinary story. Near the North Island of New Zealand, lifeguard Rob Howes was training in the ocean water. He was with two co-workers and his young daughter. Then, like a frightful scene from a... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Viktor had just married Tilly. She was the love of his life. He was a young doctor in Vienna, Austria. And Viktor and Tilly should have envisioned a bright future together, but Nazi Germany was occupying Austria, and Viktor and Tilly were Jewish. In September of... Read more
Culture of Innovation (Step 2)
B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesIdeasInvention Step 2AProtectedStep 2Stories
ReadOasis Step 2(Part 1) It was a warm summer evening. The sun had already set, and the city lights were shining. In a busy part of Tokyo, people were leaving work. Some were going home. Others were going out to enjoy the evening. It was an ordinary night. But... Read more
How to Acquire Language (Step 2)
A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsIdeasListen!PublicStep 2StoriesWhy Read Big 0
ReadOasis Step 2 How do humans acquire languages? The answer is surprisingly 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 by the linguist Dr. Stephen Krashen. I give this idea an... Read more