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
An Instinct for Language
A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsProtectedSciencesStep 2StoriesTop Picks 1
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) The Kingfisher is a beautiful bird. Like many kinds of birds, the Kingfisher takes a special journey when the seasons change. Birds take this journey to find food and better weather. But this is the amazing part. Birds take this seasonal journey without learning... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 (Part 1) Viktor had just married Tilly. She was the love of his life. He was a young doctor in Vienna, Austria. Viktor and Tilly expected a good future together. But Nazi Germany was in control of Austria, and Viktor and Tilly were Jewish. In September... Read more
How to Know if a Book’s Level is Right for You
A3-Beginner++BNC LevelsCEFR LevelsProtectedStep 1StoriesStyles 6
By Randall Short ReadOasis Step 1 At ReadOasis, you can read lots of short stories. Short stories are great because you can read to the end without stopping. You may keep on reading even if the words are difficult and the story is hard to understand. You know that... Read more
Seven Elements of Story Grammar (Step 2)
B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsIdeasProtectedStep 2Stories 1
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Harry looked at his best friends Ron and Hermione. He was not smiling. He was alone at his uncle’s house for the summer. And Harry's uncle, aunt, and cousin were mean. Ron and Hermione stayed with their group of friends, a group that Harry... Read more
A Retelling of a Traditional Story ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Once there was a good old man who lived up on a mountain in Japan. All round his little house the mountain was flat and the ground was rich. On this lovely piece of land grew wonderful fields... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 The classroom was noisy. Erin stood up in front of her students, and she smiled. Then she pointed to a piece of paper and said: "Let’s get started. All these sentences have mistakes. Please work with a partner and correct them." But for some reason, the... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 All the cities of Greece were in grave danger. A vast army, led by the great King of Persia, was coming from the east. It was moving along the sea, and in a few days, this army would be ready to attack. The King of Persia... Read more
By O. Henry ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. These pennies were saved one and two at a time. To save this money, she had to fight with the vegetable man, the meat man,... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) A light wind blew through the garden and shook the trees. From one tree, an apple fell and hit the ground. Isaac heard the sound, and it disturbed his thoughts. At the time, he was walking in his mother’s garden, and the apple had... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Little Anne Darwin was her father's pride and joy, and she loved her father with a special kindness. But in 1849, Anne became sick with a high fever. Her father tried long and hard to help her. But Anne didn’t get better, and she... Read more
Sincerely, Thomas Edison
B1-IntermediateBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsCoursesInvention Step 2AProtectedStep 2StoriesTimes 1
By Cana Short ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) An amazing thing happened this morning! I was walking down the street when I noticed a crowd gathered outside a local brokerage firm. People nearby told me that an important machine had broken down. The manager of the firm was in... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 You are sitting in a nice restaurant. You are about to enjoy an expensive meal with a friend. But then a man sitting at the table next to you starts smoking. To make matters worse, he blows smoke in your face. Why? He doesn't want to... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Joan of Arc is a national heroine of France. She was born to a poor family in eastern France during the Hundred Years War. This war was actually a series of wars between 1337 and 1453. During this violent period, English kings tried to control France.... Read more
By Cielo Vera ReadOasis Step 4 Gillian Lynne could not sit still. She was eight years old now, and her teachers were concerned about her performance at school. Perhaps she had a learning disorder. (Today a psychologist might say that she had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, but that... Read more
ReadOasis Step 1 Teacher: How much is 3 x 3? Student: The answer is 9. Teacher: That’s pretty good. Student: Pretty good?! It’s perfect. Teacher: What do you call a person who keeps talking when people are not interested? Student: A teacher. Father: You should get a job. Son:... Read more
Max is running late. He hurries out the door of his apartment, holding a cup of coffee. Then he sees his bus. “It’s leaving!” he cries. Max starts to run, but he trips over a rock and falls. His coffee flies out of his hands and spills all over... Read more
Making Work Fun: The Levity Effect
B1-IntermediateBizBNC LevelsCEFR LevelsPublicStep 3StoriesTop Picks 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
Mike waited and waited. Was it going to be good news or bad news? Who would be in, and who would be out? Would he make the team or not? Finally, the coach put two lists on the door of the school gym. Mike looked at the list for... Read more
By Caty Weaver Kelly Ryan was making dinner. Her ten-year-old son Benjamin was watching television in the living room. Or, at least she thought he was. "Benny-boy, do you want black beans or red beans?" "Red beans, Mama." Ben had come up quietly right behind her. "Don't do that,... Read more