Home is a special place

Home is a special place


Since the earliest times , people have needed somewhere safe and comfortable to live – a shelter from the world outside . Our ancient ancestors often used caves . Later , they learned to build houses . To do this they used local materials . They designed their houses to protect themselves from wild animals and bad weather


Take the Masai people of East Africa. Long ago, groups of families began building their
houses together in circles. They just used mud and sticks,but each house joined the next , and together they became a strong wall. At night, they came inside with their cows and goats , safe from lions and other dangerous animals. Many Masai have continued to live like this until today.


Around the world , people also found natural ways to shelter from the weather . In cold regions traditional houses were often low with thick walls and small windows that faced away from the direction of storms. In the hot rainforests of South – East Asia, people built their homes above the ground and high on hills to catch every cool wind. In the hot ,dry Middle East , traditional courtyard houses did something similar .Their thick , white walls reflected the sun 's heat and kept everything inside cool The height of these walls also provided cool shade in the courtyard all day.


During the last 100 years, most people have stopped living in traditional houses with their old ways of protecting against the weather .Now,we heat and cool our modern brick and concrete houses and apartments with electricity, oil and gas.


One thing has never changed, however . We do not want just four walls and a roof. We want a place to escape from the world outside . We want somewhere to relax with our family and welcome our friends . In other words ,we want our house to be a home – a happy , comfortable place at the centre of our lives .


When we grow up in a happy family home we never forget it .And even if later life takes us far away, we always remember those happy times. As the old saying goes :''East or West , home is best.


Student's book
Page 20

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