A math teacher had been teaching his class all about fractions for the past week, and now he wanted to find out how much they had been able to remember, so he asked one of the boys in the class, "If I cut a piece of meat into two pieces, what would I get?"

"Halves," answered the student at once.

"Good," said the teacher. "And if I cut each piece in half again?"

“Fourths” answered the next student.

"And if I cut it again, Robert?" the teacher went on. "Eighths," answered Robert. "Yes," said the teacher, nodding to the next boy. "And again?" "Sixteenths, sir," was the answer. "Good," said the teacher. "And once more, Lisa?"

"Thirty-seconds," answered Lisa after thinking for a few seconds.

"Yes, that's right. And again?" the teacher continued.

"Hamburger meat," answered the last student, who thought that all of these questions were becoming a little silly.

A.   Answer these questions:

1. What had the math teacher been teaching?
2. What was his first question?
3. What was the first student’s answer?
4. What was the last fraction they reached?
5. What did the last student say?
6. Why did he answer like that?

B.   What words in the story mean the same as:

1. discover
2. moving his head up and down
3. foolish
4. went on
5. getting

C.   Choose the correct sentence for each picture and write it down.

1. a. At five o'clock, the students had already gone home.

    b. At five o'clock, the students went home.

2. a. At five-thirty, the students had already gone home.

    b. At five-thirty, the students went home.

3. a. When this student got home, his mother had already gone out.

    b. When this student got home, his mother went out.

4. a. When this student got home, his mother had already gone out.

    b. When this student got home, his mother went out.

5. "Why is the street so wet?"

     a. "It must have rained."

     b. "It may rain."

6. a. "Put your coat on. It must have rained."

    b. "Put your coat on. It may rain."