VOCABULARY

Tropical(adj) : nhiệt đới

climate(n) : khí hậu
region (n) : vùng
regional (adj) : theo vùng, thuộc vùng
regional planning : quy hoạch vùng
zone (n) : vùng
divide (v) : chia, phân chia
belt (n) : vành đai
equator (n) : xích đạo
extend (v) : mở rộng
seasonal (adj) : theo mùa
season (n) : mùa
vary (v) : thay đổi, biến đổi, khác nhau
variation (n) : sự thay đổi, sự biến đổi, sự khác nhau
excessive (adj) : quá mức, thừa
exceed (v) : vượt quá
excessively (adv) : một cách quá mức
adequate (adj) : đủ
ventilation (n) : sự thông gió
open layout : sự bố trí không gian thoáng, mở
benefit (n) : lợi ích
penetrate (v) : thấm qua
penetration (n) : sự thấm qua
latitude (n) : vĩ độ
reduce (v) : làm giảm
intensity (n) : cường độ
considerable (adj) : đáng kể
amount (n) : lượng, tổng số, khối lượng
permit (v) : cho phép
compact layout (n) : sự bố trí dày đặc, chen chúc, sơ đồ khép
kí
 surface (n) : bề mặt
composite (adj) : hỗn hợp
monsoon (n) : gió mùa
interior (n) : bên trong

COMPREHENSION CHECK
1. How many major climatic zones are there in the tropical regions? What are they?
There are three major climatic zones in the tropical regions. There are warm-humid climates,
Hot-dry climates, Composite or monsoon climates.
2. Where are Warm-humid climates, Hot-dry climates and Composite or monsoon climates
found?
Warm-humid climates, Hot-dry climates and Composite or monsoon climates are respectively found in a belt near
the Equator extending to about 15* north and south, in two belts of latitude between approximately 15* and 30*
north and south of the equator, in large land masses near the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
3. What are the characteristics of Warm-humid climates?
In regions with warm-humid climates, there is very little seasonal variation throughout the year;
the air temperature is never excessive, there is considerable rainfall during most of the year;
relative humidity is excessively high.
4. What are the characteristics of Hot-dry climates?
In regions with hot-dry climates, two marked season, which are a hot and a slightly cooler period,
occur; day-time air temperatures are excessively hot, however decreases at night; there is little
cloud cover during the day.
5. What are the characteristics of Composite or monsoon climates?
In regions with composite or monsoon climates, two seasons occur normally; approximately two-
thirds of the year is hot-dry, the other third is warm-humid.
6. What are the design requirements for houses in these climates?
In warm-humid climates, the rooms of houses must have adequate shade and ventilation. In hot-
dry climates, houses must give adequate protection against the excessive heat of the sun. In
composite or monsoon climates, houses should be designed to be suitable for either season.
7. What are the architectural solutions to houses in these climates?
In warm-humid climates, houses usually have an open layout so they can gain maximum benefit
from the prevailing wind, walls are used for screening from insects and for their wind penetration
qualities. In hot-dry climate, houses usually have compact layouts so that surfaces exposed to the
sun are reduced as much as possible, walls should be very thick and made of heat storing
materials so they hold the heat of the day and give it back to the interior of the house at night. In
composite or monsoon climate, there are no perfect solutions, houses are designed to be suitable
for one season may be unsuitable for the other.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Exercise 1: Choose the best answer to complete the following sentences.
1. The air temperature is never ………………
A. excessive B. excessively C. excess D. exceed
2. Usually houses have an open layout so they can gain ……….…… benefit from the prevailing
wind
A. maximal B. maximum C. minimum D. little
3. Consequently, houses ……………. to be suitable for one season may be unsuitable for the
other.
A. designing B. design C. designed D. are designed
4. Walls should be very thick and made of heat …..…………. materials
A. storing B. store C. stored D. to store

5. In this climate the rooms of houses must have ………….…. shade and ventilation.
A. inadequate B. adequate C. much D. many
6. However, at night the clear skies permit a …………… amount of heat to be reradiated to
outer space.
A. considering B. considerable C. consider D. considered
7. They are used primarily for screening …………… insects and for their wind penetration
qualities.
A. to B. in C. from D. of
8. There is very little seasonal variation …………… the year.
A. throughout B. on C. in D. of
9. Two marked seasons …………..: a hot and a slightly cooler period.
A. will occur B. will be occurred C. occurred D. occur
10. The tropical regions of the earth can ………….. into three major climatic zones.
A. divide B. be divided C. divider D. dividing
 Exercise 2: Complete the sentence by forming a suitable new word form the provided word
in bracket.
1. Relative humidity (RH) is excessively high. (RELATIVE)
2. Hot-dry climates are found in two belts of latitude (APPROXIMATELY)
between ……………………….. 15° and 30° north and
south of the equator.
3. Day-time air temperatures are …………………... hot. (EXCESSIVELY)
4. Usually they have compact layouts so that surfaces (POSSIBLE)
exposed to the sun are reduced as much as
……………………… .
5. Composite or monsoon climates are found in large land (TROPICS)
masses near the ………………of Cancer and Capricorn.
6. During the day there is too little cloud cover to reduce the (INTENSITY)
high ……………….. of direct solar radiation.
7. At night the clear skies permit a …………............. (CONSIDERABLE)
amount of heat to be reradiated to outer space.
8. RH should not exceed 70% for human ……………..… . (COMFORT)
9. Approximately two-thirds of the year is hot-dry and the (HUMID)
other third is warm- ………………… .
10. RH may ………………..… from 55% to almost 100%. (VARY)

Exercise 3: Use the following sets of words and phrases below to write complete sentences.
1. tropical / region/ earth/ can/ divide/ three/major / climatic zone.
The tropical regions of the earth can be divided into three major climatic.
2. House /designed/ be suitable/ one season/ may/ unsuitable/the other.
Houses designed to be suitable for one season may be unsuitable for the other.
3. Usually house/ have / open layout /so/ they /can /gain /maximum benefit/ prevailing wind.
Usually houses have an open layout so they can gain maximum benefit from the
prevailing wind.
4. Walls / here / used /primarily /screening /insects /and / wind penetration qualities.
Walls here used primarily for screening from insects and for their wind penetration qualities.
5. hot-dry climates/ houses /must /give/ adequate protection /excessive heat /sun.
Houses must give adequate protection against the excessive heat of the sun.
6. Relative humidity /should /not exceed 70% / human comfort.
Relative humidity should not exceed 70% for human comfort.
7. night /clear skies /permit / considerable amount/ heat / be reradiated /outer space.
At night the clear skies permit a considerable amount of heat to be reradiated to outer space.
8. Wall/ have /less importance /here than/ other climates.
Walls have less importance here than in other climates.
9. this climate/wall/ should /very thick/ and/ make / heat storing materials.
Walls should be very thick and made of heat storing materials.
10. external wall/ act/ as/ thermal insulator.
The external wall acts as a thermal insulator.

Exercise 4: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the
same as the sentence printed before it.
1. The tropical regions of the earth can be divided into three major climatic zones.
We can divide the tropical regions of the earth into three major climatic zones.
2. In warm- humid climates, walls are not as important as ones in hot-dry climates.
In warm- humid climates, walls……………..……………………………………….
3. Two seasons occur normally in monsoon climates.
There are normally two seasons in monsoon climates.
4. The functions of the lowest floor include providing surfaces for activities and modifying the
passage of heat.
The lowest floor is used for providing surfaces for activities and modifying the passage of
heat.
5. The roof and external walls are designed to resist loads
The function of the roof and external walls is to resist loads.
Exercise 5: Look and read.

Buildings are designed so they are capable of performing the design requirements.
The most important design requirements include the following:

A. Weather resistance keep out wind, dust and precipitation

B. Privacy provide visual screening
C. Surfaces provide surfaces for activities
D. Security keep out intruders
E. Fire resistance prevent fire from spreading
F. Structure ` resist loads
G. Ventilation provide fresh air
H. Thermal insulation modify the passage of heat
I. Sound insulation control sound transmission
J. Moisture control the passage of moisture
K. Light provide natural and artificial light
Now complete this table:
Element Main functions
Lowest floor C, H, etc…
External envelope External wall B, D, H, I, K
Roof A, J
Suspended floor
Internal division Partitions B
Suspended ceiling

Exercise 6: Use the table to write as many sentences as possible using "include", "act as';
"is designed to” ,”enable” like the following examples:
• The functions of the lowest floor include providing surfaces for activities and modifying
the passage of heat.
• The external wall acts as a thermal insulator.
• The roof and the external walls are designed to resist loads.
• The partition enables the building to provide visual screening.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..…………
………………………………………………………………………………..……………………
……………………………………………………………………..………………………………
…………………………………………………………..…………………………………………
………………………………………………..……………………………………………………
……………………………………..………………………………………………………………
…………………………..…………………………………………………………………………
………………..……………………………………………………………………………………
……
…………………………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 7: Complete this passage using these words.

hottest, coolest, cool enough, warm enough, excessively, much lighter, inadequately,
adequately

In composite climates, houses designed to perform (1) adequately for one season will perform (2)
inadequately for the other. To solve this problem houses are sometimes built two storeys high.
The ground floor is built with (3)………………….. thick walls. They retain the heat so that it is
(4) cool enough to sleep comfortably on the ground floor during the (5) hottest part of the year.
The first floor structure is built with (6) much lighter materials. This structure cools quickly at
night so that it is (7) coolest to sleep comfortably on the first floor during the (8) ………………..
part of the year.