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About the Author
Rhea S is a retired educator with nearly three decades of teaching experience, coupled with a certification in
storytelling. Her stories are thoughtfully crafted in the backdrop of Indian settings. As a teacher, she is known
for her commitment to fostering a love for learning and creativity in her classrooms. ‘Finding My Place’ is
influenced by her own experiences, as a young girl in middle school.

Let’s ponder

A. Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. Walking through those crowded hallways, I felt like I was invisible, like nobody even
noticed me. Throughout the day I noticed the tight-knit groups of friends, laughing and
sharing inside jokes. It was a world I felt shut out from. Basketball, which used to be my
favourite thing ever, turned into a total nightmare.

a. Give one reason why the hallways were crowded.

b. What would have helped Maya feel visible?

c. Infer the suitable meaning of the phrase ‘inside jokes’ from the extract.

i. jokes told indoors ii. jokes among close ones

iii. jokes about personal space iv. jokes about new students

d. What emotions can be associated with Maya’s sense of ‘total nightmare’?
Select the odd one out. (anxiety / fear / excitement / helplessness)

2. Every shot I made earned nods of respect from my teammates. Last week was all about
changing perceptions. I wasn’t just the new girl anymore; I was a teammate, a friend.
The highlight was being told, ‘We need you in our team, Maya. You’ve got game.’
Imagine! A simple sentence like that felt like a victory.

a. Complete the following with a suitable option.

The phrase ‘nods of respect’ indicates .

i. celebration ii. acknowledgment

iii. thoughtfulness iv. determination

b. Why was Maya not ‘just the new girl anymore’?

c. What tells us that Maya was complimented on her basketball skills.

d. Complete the following with a suitable reason.

A simple sentence felt like victory to Maya because .

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