The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian law code of ancient Mesopotamia dating back to 1772 B.C. The Code which consists of 282 laws and corresponding punishments. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site...

In this poem by Shel Silverstein, a speaker tells an adult that he should try "growing down" rather than growing up. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site offers links to paired texts, questions and...

In this poem by Sandra Cisneros, the speaker describes their aging grandfather. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site offers links to...

This is an excerpt comes from "Southern Horrors: Lynch Laws in All Its Phases" by Ida B.Wells. In it she talks about lynching, or the murder by mob for an alleged crime without a legal trial. The targets of such violence and hatred were...

In this short story, a wealthy prince holds a party for his powerful friends within the safety of his home, as a disease rips the rest of the country apart. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site...

The full text of the short story "The Signal" by Vsevolod Mikhailovich Garshin. Register for a free account to unlock annotation tools, printing, and more.

Read the full text of the short story The Fowl in the Pot by Stanley J. Weyman. Register for a free account to unlock annotation tools, printing, and more.

The full text of the short story The Servant by S.T. Semyonov. Register for a free account to unlock annotation tools, printing, and more.

The complete text of many of Alcott's famous works, a brief biography and a portrait are offered here. The most unusual feature is the ability to annotate the works as you read. Great for notetaking, adding marginalia, raising questions,...

In this poem, Linda Pastan analyzes the experience of tourists visiting two iconic buildings in the city of Amsterdam: the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This...

In this excerpt from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," Dorothy and her friends arrive at the Emerald City. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site offers links to paired texts, questions and answers, an...

In 1835, a Native American woman was left on San Nicolas Island for 18 years by herself. Scott O'Dell's award-winning novel "Island of the Blue Dolphins" is based on her life. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are...

"The Odyssey" is an epic poem about a Greek hero named Odysseus, also known as Ulysses in Roman myths, and his 10-year journey home after the fall of Troy. In this excerpt, Ulysses encounters the Sirens while at sea. A specific purpose...

In this letter, Cordelia writes to her friend about her plans to become a pioneer, a common ambition during the "Manifest Destiny" era of western settlement in the 19th century. This site offers links to paired texts, questions and...

This is a transcript of an interview with Sami Awad as part of the Global Oneness Project, which aims to "inspire students to rethink their relationship to the world" A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This...

In this poem, a speaker describes the effects of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus for a white passenger. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site offers links to paired texts,...

This is a historical fiction story about Columbus, the explorer who came to the Americas from Spain in 1492. This is a story about what might have happened long ago when he was back in Spain. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary...

In this short story by Gwendolyn Brooks, a family contemplates losing their house. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site offers links to paired texts, questions and answers, an annotation tool, and...

This poem by Nikki Grimes uses the first stanza of Paul Laurence Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask," as a speaker describes why they conceal their identity. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site offers...

A comprehensive and interactive study of Dante Alighieri's most famous work, The Divine Comedy. Study this enormously rich text with the help of maps, diagrams, music, a timeline and a gallery. See the Italian/English text side-by-side...

The full text of the short "Edward II. At Berkeley Castle by an Eye-Witness" by Maurice Baring. Register for a free account to unlock annotation tools, printing, and more.

The full text of the short "The Effeminates" by Guy de Maupassant. Register for a free account to unlock annotation tools, printing, and more.

The full text of the short "The Egg" by Sherwood Anderson. Register for a free account to unlock annotation tools, printing, and more.

The full text of the short "The Egotism; or Bosom Serpent" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Register for a free account to unlock annotation tools, printing, and more.