Straw is useful in binding the brick together and allowing the brick to dry evenly, thereby preventing cracking due to uneven shrinkage rates through the brick.
stɹˈɔː ɪz jˈuːsfəl ɪn bˈaɪndɪŋ ðə bɹˈɪk təɡˌɛðɚ ænd ɐlˈaʊɪŋ ðə bɹˈɪk tə dɹˈaɪ ˈiːvənli, ðɛɹbˈaɪ pɹɪvˈɛntɪŋ kɹˈækɪŋ dˈuː tʊ ʌnˈiːvən ʃɹˈɪŋkɪdʒ ɹˈeɪts θɹuː ðə bɹˈɪk.