Steinem and Parton’s Deaths Leave Feminists Grieving Two Influential Voices

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.

   According to the narration, how far did the response extend?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Across generations and beyond national borders
   2. Only among professional feminist organizations
   3. Within one city and a single age group
   4. Primarily among entertainers and journalists
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Across generations and beyond national borders

   The narration states that reactions crossed both generational and national boundaries.

   The response has reached across generations and beyond national borders.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What happened after people considered the two deaths together?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. They stopped discussing women’s rights publicly.
   2. They considered who could continue authoritative advocacy.
   3. They decided that leadership was no longer necessary.
   4. They separated the two women’s supporters permanently.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   They considered who could continue authoritative advocacy.

   The combined event led people to think about future public voices.

   Their deaths have encouraged people to consider who will speak with similar authority and who will help keep women’s rights at the center of public discussion.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which groups are specifically mentioned as experiencing the grief?

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   1. Only the women’s closest relatives
   2. Individual admirers and wider movement groups
   3. Only professional political leaders
   4. People who had never heard of either woman
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Individual admirers and wider movement groups

   The narration distinguishes individual admirers from broader movement communities.

   It belongs to people who admired Steinem or Parton, but it also extends to wider groups who saw the two women as part of a larger movement.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does losing one important figure potentially create?

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   1. Certainty about future leadership
   2. Uncertainty about the future
   3. Immediate agreement among all supporters
   4. A permanent end to public influence
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Uncertainty about the future

   The narration directly links one loss with uncertainty about what comes next.

   Losing one important figure can create uncertainty about the future.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the recording say no single person can do?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Discuss responsibility with other leaders
   2. Simply occupy another person’s place
   3. Support women’s rights in public
   4. Reflect on a movement’s future
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Simply occupy another person’s place

   The narration rejects the idea that one successor can exactly duplicate another.

   No single person can simply occupy another person’s place.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the double loss demonstrate about people’s values?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. People value visible leadership strongly.
   2. People prefer movements without recognizable voices.
   3. People oppose discussion about leadership succession.
   4. People see public influence as unimportant.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   People value visible leadership strongly.

   The stated result is greater recognition of visible leadership’s importance.

   Still, the questions raised by this double loss show how strongly people value visible leadership.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which three ideas does the conclusion connect with a movement’s future?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Competition, fame, and private identity
   2. Continuity, responsibility, and future direction
   3. Grief, entertainment, and national borders
   4. Biography, conflict, and financial support
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Continuity, responsibility, and future direction

   The final sentence names three related subjects for reflection.

   They also show why the passing of prominent voices can become a moment of reflection about continuity, responsibility, and the future of a movement.

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.