Shiyazh Pete’s viral locker-room speech inspires the Navajo Nation

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

B2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the questions, then listen before opening the transcript. Notice names, numbers and any corrections the speaker makes.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What happened immediately after Pete addressed his team?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. He signed a second contract.
   2. The speech spread online.
   3. He left professional football.
   4. The coach gave a television interview.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The speech spread online.

   The speech quickly spread online after he delivered it.

   The rookie offensive lineman was invited by his coach to address his team in the locker room, and the speech quickly spread online.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How many people came to know Pete through the locker-room moment?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Several hundred
   2. Thousands
   3. Millions
   4. Only his teammates
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Millions

   The narration specifically describes millions of people discovering Pete through that moment.

   Millions of people came to know Pete through that moment.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What made Pete’s professional achievement especially meaningful?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. He was the oldest player in football.
   2. He was the first Navajo player to sign an NFL contract.
   3. He played every position on his team.
   4. He had already won several championships.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   He was the first Navajo player to sign an NFL contract.

   His historic status as the first Navajo NFL contract holder gives it added meaning.

   Pete is the first Navajo player to sign an NFL contract, giving his professional achievement a special meaning for the Navajo Nation.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the narration say representation can provide?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. A visible example of professional success
   2. A guarantee of future contracts
   3. A replacement for athletic training
   4. A reason to avoid public attention
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   A visible example of professional success

   Representation can show communities that reaching elite professional levels is possible.

   Pete’s place in the NFL offers a visible example of a Navajo athlete reaching one of the highest levels of professional football.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why did Pete reach a much wider audience than his teammates might have expected?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. He changed to another sport.
   2. He spoke meaningfully about his journey.
   3. He became a sports commentator.
   4. He stopped playing football.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   He spoke meaningfully about his journey.

   His ability to speak about his journey expanded his audience beyond field performance.

   Rather than becoming known only for his performance on the field, Pete reached a much wider audience through his ability to speak about his journey.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Who spoke with Pete about the attention surrounding his speech?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. His head coach
   2. A Navajo team captain
   3. Amna Nawaz
   4. An unnamed league official
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Amna Nawaz

   The narration identifies PBS NewsHour correspondent Amna Nawaz as Pete’s interviewer.

   PBS NewsHour correspondent Amna Nawaz spoke with Pete about his journey and the attention surrounding his speech.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Where did Pete’s message travel beyond?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. His team’s locker room
   2. The Navajo Nation’s schools only
   3. A single football stadium
   4. The reporter’s private office
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   His team’s locker room

   The final sentence contrasts the message’s broad reach with its original locker-room setting.

   Pete’s story now includes both a historic step in professional football and a message that traveled far beyond his team’s locker room.

What to review next

Listen again to difficult sections, then open the transcript to check what you heard. Repeat a useful phrase aloud and try the recording once more without the text.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Listen for the final information, especially when a speaker corrects or changes an earlier statement.

Example transcript: “Let’s meet at five — actually, half past five would be better.” What is the final suggested time?

The final suggested time is 5:30. Actually signals a correction; the first time is replaced by the later suggestion.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.