The Goalkeeper Who Never Smiled Reading Comprehension Worksheet

"He's not rude," his captain told the new boy, Aryan, after practice. "He's just... like that now."

Aryan didn't ask why. He just noticed that Dhruv was always first to arrive and last to leave, like the goal was somewhere he'd rather be than home.

What nobody on the team knew was that Dhruv's mother had been unwell for weeks, and the house had gone quiet in a way houses do when grown-ups stop pretending everything is fine in front of each other, but still try to pretend in front of the children.

Dhruv didn't talk about it. He just played. Harder than before, if anything. Diving for balls he didn't need to dive for. Staying late to practise saves nobody had asked him to practise.

Before the district semi-final, Coach Ritu pulled him aside. "You've been somewhere else lately. On the field, I mean. Even when you're here."

"I didn't ask if you were fine," Coach Ritu said gently. "I asked if you wanted to talk."

Dhruv said nothing for a moment. Then, quietly: "My mum's in hospital. She's getting better. I think. I don't really know."

Coach Ritu didn't say something fixing or rushed. She just nodded slowly. "That's a heavy thing to carry alone during matches."

"They won't," she said. "But you don't have to carry it like it's a secret either."

During the match, Dhruv made save after save, calm and focused, the team holding a slim lead deep into the second half. With minutes left, he dived full-stretch and caught a shot that would have tied the game, landing hard on his shoulder.

The whole team ran to him, not just to celebrate the save, but to check if he was hurt.

"I'm okay," he said, getting up slowly. And for the first time in three weeks, something close to a real smile reached his face.

That evening, his phone buzzed. A message from his father: Mum's fever broke. She's asking for you.

Worksheet

A. Multiple Choice Questions

Why hadn't Dhruv smiled in three weeks? a) He didn't like his team b) He was worried about his sick mother c) He lost every match d) His coach was strict with him
What position did Dhruv play on the team? a) Striker b) Midfielder c) Goalkeeper d) Defender
What did Coach Ritu ask Dhruv, instead of asking if he was fine? a) Why he was playing badly b) If he wanted to talk c) If he wanted to quit the team d) Why he was always late
What happened during the district semi-final match? a) Dhruv missed an easy save b) Dhruv made a full-stretch save and got hurt slightly c) The match was cancelled d) Dhruv didn't play at all
What news did Dhruv receive that evening? a) His team lost the tournament b) His mother's fever had broken and she was asking for him c) His coach resigned d) His friend Aryan got injured

B. True or False

Dhruv told his whole team about his mother's illness from the very beginning. (True/False)
Coach Ritu pressured Dhruv to talk about his feelings immediately. (True/False)
Dhruv got hurt slightly while making an important save during the match. (True/False)
Dhruv's teammates ran to him after the save, partly to check if he was okay. (True/False)
By the end of the story, Dhruv smiles properly for the first time in three weeks. (True/False)

C. Short Answer Questions

Why had Dhruv stopped smiling, even during matches his team won?
How did Coach Ritu approach the conversation with Dhruv differently from his teammates?
What did Dhruv say when Coach Ritu asked if he wanted to talk?
What happened to Dhruv physically during the semi-final match?
What message did Dhruv receive from his father that evening?

D. Long Answer Questions

Explain why Dhruv didn't want his team to know about his mother's illness, using ideas from the story.
Describe how Coach Ritu's way of approaching Dhruv was different from simply asking "Are you okay?"
Why do you think the story waits until the very end to show Dhruv's full, real smile?

E. Vocabulary Activity

Match the word with its meaning.

Unwell
Carry
Focused
Slim
Properly

a) Giving full attention to something b) Not in good health c) Small in amount, often referring to a lead d) Fully and genuinely e) To hold or bear something, often a feeling or responsibility

F. Reflection Corner

What lesson did you learn from this story?
Have you ever carried a worry quietly, without telling the people around you?
If you were Dhruv's teammate, how would you want to support him, knowing what you know now?

G. Discussion Corner

Why might someone hide a difficult situation from their friends, even when they care about them?
How can adults, like coaches or teachers, gently check in on children without pressuring them to share?
What is the difference between saying "I'm fine" and actually feeling okay?

H. Creative Activity

Role Play Activity: With a friend or family member, act out a conversation between Dhruv and Coach Ritu before the match. Try it two ways — once where Coach Ritu pressures Dhruv to talk, and once where she gently leaves space for him to open up on his own. Discuss which approach feels more supportive.

AGE NOTE: This story touches gently on family illness and is suitable for ages 8-14. Its hopeful ending makes it appropriate for classroom or bedtime reading, though adult presence is encouraged if a child has personal experience with family illness.

The Goalkeeper Who Never Smiled

Story