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 passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What is the article’s main idea?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Pete became famous solely because of his on-field performance.
   2. Pete’s speech and career carry broader cultural significance.
   3. The NFL plans to recruit more Navajo athletes immediately.
   4. PBS NewsHour mainly examines football coaching methods.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Pete’s speech and career carry broader cultural significance.

   The article connects Pete’s viral speech with achievement, representation, and community meaning.

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

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article contrast game performance with Pete’s words?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To explain why football games were canceled
   2. To show that Pete’s path to fame was unusual
   3. To criticize professional football players
   4. To compare two different coaches
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To show that Pete’s path to fame was unusual

   The contrast emphasizes that Pete’s fame developed through speaking rather than playing alone.

   Most professional football players build their public reputation through what they do during a game.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can reasonably be inferred about Pete’s public profile?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It could inspire underrepresented audiences.
   2. It will probably end his football career.
   3. It has removed all barriers in sports.
   4. It mainly interests his former teammates.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It could inspire underrepresented audiences.

   His visibility may influence people who have seen little Navajo representation in football.

   His public profile may also encourage people who rarely see themselves represented in the sport.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   In paragraph three, what does “one person’s career” refer to?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The Navajo Nation’s history
   2. Pete’s professional career
   3. Amna Nawaz’s journalism
   4. The NFL’s institutional history
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Pete’s professional career

   The phrase points back to Pete’s individual professional path.

   For many communities, representation in a major American institution can carry significance beyond one person’s career.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How is the article organized overall?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Problem, opposing solutions, and conclusion
   2. Career statistics followed by financial analysis
   3. Viral moment followed by broader significance
   4. Interview questions followed by game instructions
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Viral moment followed by broader significance

   It moves from the speech’s popularity to its wider personal and cultural importance.

   The locker-room speech added another dimension to that achievement.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does “another dimension” suggest about the speech?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It created a second football position.
   2. It added a personal and communicative aspect.
   3. It made his contract legally invalid.
   4. It introduced a different sport.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It added a personal and communicative aspect.

   The speech expanded the meaning of Pete’s achievement beyond athletic performance.

   The locker-room speech added another dimension to that achievement.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What is the article’s purpose in mentioning Amna Nawaz?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To identify the interviewer discussing Pete’s story
   2. To announce a new football competition
   3. To describe Navajo political leadership
   4. To explain how locker rooms are designed
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To identify the interviewer discussing Pete’s story

   Her conversation provides a journalistic context for examining Pete’s journey and sudden attention.

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

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

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

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

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.