- 1. Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe is a compelling and deeply researched narrative that delves into the complexities of the Northern Ireland conflict, particularly focusing on the story of the Disappeared, the individuals who were kidnapped and murdered during the Troubles and whose bodies were never found. Keefe meticulously examines the lives of those involved, both victims and perpetrators, weaving a tapestry that captures the human cost of political violence and the haunting legacies that remain long after the guns have fallen silent. Through the lens of individual stories, Keefe sheds light on the broader socio-political landscape, exploring themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the painful memories that continue to shape the identities of those affected. His journalistic rigor and narrative flair offer readers a gripping account that is as informative as it is poignant, making 'Say Nothing' not just a historical exploration, but a profound meditation on the nature of memory, reconciliation, and the search for truth in the aftermath of chaos.
What is the primary focus of 'Say Nothing' by Patrick Radden Keefe?
A) The Cuban Revolution
B) The Vietnam War
C) The Troubles in Northern Ireland
D) World War II espionage
- 2. Which real-life disappearance is a central event investigated in the book?
A) Lord Lucan
B) Jimmy Hoffa
C) Amelia Earhart
D) Jean McConville
- 3. Which paramilitary organization is most prominently featured?
A) The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
B) The Provisional IRA
C) The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
D) The Red Hand Commando
- 4. What was the codename for the British Army's undercover unit in Northern Ireland?
A) The Military Reaction Force (MRF)
B) Special Air Service (SAS)
C) MI5 Operatives
D) The Black Watch
- 5. Who is the prominent IRA member and later informant known by the pseudonym 'Stakeknife'?
A) Gerry Adams
B) Brendan Hughes
C) Dolours Price
D) Freddie Scappaticci
- 6. The book's title, 'Say Nothing', is a reference to what?
A) An IRA code of silence
B) A poem by Seamus Heaney
C) A British interrogation technique
D) The motto of a Belfast prison
- 7. Which university project provided crucial oral histories for the book?
A) The Trinity College Archives
B) The Belfast Project
C) The Oxford History Project
D) The Cambridge Oral History Initiative
- 8. What was the primary reason Jean McConville was abducted?
A) She refused to pay protection money
B) She witnessed a bank robbery
C) She was a British soldier's wife
D) She was accused of being an informant
- 9. Which IRA volunteer gave extensive interviews about the McConville disappearance before her death?
A) Dolours Price
B) Marian Price
C) Mairead Farrell
D) Bernadette Devlin McAliskey
- 10. Where were the remains of Jean McConville eventually discovered?
A) In the mountains of County Down
B) Beneath a Belfast housing estate
C) In a bog in County Armagh
D) On a beach in County Louth
- 11. Which prominent political figure is repeatedly alleged in the book to have been in the IRA?
A) John Hume
B) David Trimble
C) Gerry Adams
D) Ian Paisley
- 12. Which event is considered a major turning point that intensified the conflict?
A) The signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty
B) The Easter Rising
C) Bloody Sunday
D) The Brighton hotel bombing
- 13. What was the primary role of Brendan Hughes in the IRA?
A) Public spokesperson
B) IRA commander in Belfast
C) Negotiator with the British
D) Chief bomb-maker
- 14. What was the fate of many of the 'disappeared'?
A) They were publicly tried
B) They were exiled to England
C) They were imprisoned for life
D) They were secretly buried
- 15. Which institution fought a legal battle to keep the Belfast Project interviews secret?
A) Queen's University Belfast
B) The National Archives of the UK
C) Harvard University
D) Boston College
- 16. What was the public role of Gerry Adams during the Troubles?
A) IRA Chief of Staff
B) Irish Taoiseach
C) Sinn Féin president
D) British Member of Parliament
- 17. What was the ironic fate of many IRA members who targeted informants?
A) They retired peacefully
B) They became successful politicians
C) They were often informants themselves
D) They were awarded medals by the UK
- 18. What is a major theme explored through the McConville family's story?
A) The economic prosperity of Belfast
B) The long-term trauma of the conflict
C) The ease of post-conflict reconciliation
D) The benefits of British rule
- 19. What legal concept was challenged by the subpoena of the Belfast Project tapes?
A) Diplomatic immunity
B) Academic confidentiality
C) The right to a fair trial
D) Freedom of the press
- 20. How does Keefe portray the morality of the conflict?
A) As complex and morally ambiguous
B) As an illegal terrorist campaign
C) As a clear fight of good vs. evil
D) As a justified war for independence
- 21. The book heavily features interviews with which former IRA member, known as 'The Dark'?
A) Brendan Hughes
B) Gerry Adams
C) Martin McGuinness
D) Bobby Sands
- 22. Dolours and Marian Price were known for their involvement in what infamous 1973 event?
A) The Brighton hotel bombing
B) The Old Bailey bombing
C) The kidnapping of Jean McConville
D) The Bloody Sunday march
- 23. What was the nickname for the British policy of imprisoning suspects without trial?
A) The Culling
B) The Suspension
C) The Purge
D) Internment
- 24. In which decade did the events that open the book primarily take place?
A) 1960s
B) 1990s
C) 1980s
D) 1970s
- 25. Dolours and Marian Price were initially convicted for a bombing in which city?
A) Manchester
B) Dublin
C) Belfast
D) London
- 26. How did Dolours Price protest her imprisonment?
A) Rioting
B) Escaping from prison
C) Hunger strike
D) A writing campaign
- 27. What was the nickname for the IRA's internal security unit?
A) The Belfast Brigade
B) The Enforcers
C) The Ghost Squad
D) The Nutting Squad
- 28. On what date was 'Bloody Sunday', a major event discussed in the book?
A) August 15, 1971
B) Easter Monday, 1916
C) July 12, 1969
D) January 30, 1972
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