Homes: reading informational text; Have Home, Will Travel 3

Have Home, Will Travel

1. Maybe you live in an apartment in the city, or perhaps you live in a trailer in the country. There are many different kinds of homes all over the world. Some are big. Some are small. Some houses are made from wood and stone. Some are made from brick or mud. Some homes near the sea are built on stilts so that they do not flood. In some very hot places, homes are built underground.
2. Many people live in homes that aren’t meant to be moved. But in some parts of the world, people must move from place to place in search of food or work. They need structures that they can pick up and move with them.
3. A yurt is one example of a structure that can be easily moved. These circular homes are somewhat similar to a tent. They are made of flexible poles of wood that are woven together to build stability. The outside of a yurt is usually covered with some type of felt or fabric. Often, this outside covering is made from the wool of animals that travel with the people.
4. To build a yurt, a family first finds a flat piece of ground. This flat piece of earth will function as the foundation for the yurt. Criss-crossed poles are divided into sections, called khana. The khana is built so that it collapses easily when the home needs to be taken down and moved. Khana are tied together to form a circle.

5. The middle of the yurt’s roof is called the crown. An opening is built into the crown, which makes room for a chimney. It also allows air to move in and out of the home. Roof poles, called uni, are attached to the outer parts of the crown to anchor it to the rest of the yurt.

6. Yurts are most often used in countries in Central and Eastern Asia, like Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan. Their architecture makes them perfect for windy grasslands. The yurt’s circular shape allows it to remain stable even in high winds, and the crown allows for easy access to fresh air. When yurt-dwelling families need to move, they can take their yurt apart and carry it with them to their next site. A yurt can be taken down or put up in a matter of hours. This adaptable dwelling provides a familiar feeling of home, no matter where the world may take it.

7. Houses around the world may look different. They may be tall and skinny, or short and wide. They may have a wood roof or a grass roof. But no matter what your dwelling looks like, it is special because you share it with your family.

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