- 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 Troubles in Northern Ireland
B) The Cuban Revolution
C) World War II espionage
D) The Vietnam War
- 2. Which real-life disappearance is a central event investigated in the book?
A) Amelia Earhart
B) Lord Lucan
C) Jean McConville
D) Jimmy Hoffa
- 3. Which paramilitary organization is most prominently featured?
A) The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
B) The Provisional IRA
C) The Red Hand Commando
D) The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
- 4. What was the codename for the British Army's undercover unit in Northern Ireland?
A) The Black Watch
B) Special Air Service (SAS)
C) The Military Reaction Force (MRF)
D) MI5 Operatives
- 5. Who is the prominent IRA member and later informant known by the pseudonym 'Stakeknife'?
A) Freddie Scappaticci
B) Dolours Price
C) Brendan Hughes
D) Gerry Adams
- 6. The book's title, 'Say Nothing', is a reference to what?
A) A British interrogation technique
B) A poem by Seamus Heaney
C) The motto of a Belfast prison
D) An IRA code of silence
- 7. Which university project provided crucial oral histories for the book?
A) The Cambridge Oral History Initiative
B) The Oxford History Project
C) The Trinity College Archives
D) The Belfast Project
- 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 accused of being an informant
D) She was a British soldier's wife
- 9. Which IRA volunteer gave extensive interviews about the McConville disappearance before her death?
A) Bernadette Devlin McAliskey
B) Marian Price
C) Dolours Price
D) Mairead Farrell
- 10. Where were the remains of Jean McConville eventually discovered?
A) On a beach in County Louth
B) In the mountains of County Down
C) In a bog in County Armagh
D) Beneath a Belfast housing estate
- 11. Which prominent political figure is repeatedly alleged in the book to have been in the IRA?
A) Ian Paisley
B) David Trimble
C) John Hume
D) Gerry Adams
- 12. Which event is considered a major turning point that intensified the conflict?
A) The Easter Rising
B) The signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty
C) Bloody Sunday
D) The Brighton hotel bombing
- 13. What was the primary role of Brendan Hughes in the IRA?
A) Chief bomb-maker
B) IRA commander in Belfast
C) Negotiator with the British
D) Public spokesperson
- 14. What was the fate of many of the 'disappeared'?
A) They were publicly tried
B) They were secretly buried
C) They were exiled to England
D) They were imprisoned for life
- 15. Which institution fought a legal battle to keep the Belfast Project interviews secret?
A) Harvard University
B) Queen's University Belfast
C) The National Archives of the UK
D) Boston College
- 16. What was the public role of Gerry Adams during the Troubles?
A) British Member of Parliament
B) Irish Taoiseach
C) Sinn Féin president
D) IRA Chief of Staff
- 17. What was the ironic fate of many IRA members who targeted informants?
A) They became successful politicians
B) They were often informants themselves
C) They retired peacefully
D) They were awarded medals by the UK
- 18. What is a major theme explored through the McConville family's story?
A) The ease of post-conflict reconciliation
B) The long-term trauma of the conflict
C) The economic prosperity of Belfast
D) The benefits of British rule
- 19. What legal concept was challenged by the subpoena of the Belfast Project tapes?
A) Freedom of the press
B) The right to a fair trial
C) Academic confidentiality
D) Diplomatic immunity
- 20. How does Keefe portray the morality of the conflict?
A) As an illegal terrorist campaign
B) As a justified war for independence
C) As a clear fight of good vs. evil
D) As complex and morally ambiguous
- 21. The book heavily features interviews with which former IRA member, known as 'The Dark'?
A) Bobby Sands
B) Martin McGuinness
C) Gerry Adams
D) Brendan Hughes
- 22. Dolours and Marian Price were known for their involvement in what infamous 1973 event?
A) The Bloody Sunday march
B) The Brighton hotel bombing
C) The kidnapping of Jean McConville
D) The Old Bailey bombing
- 23. What was the nickname for the British policy of imprisoning suspects without trial?
A) The Purge
B) The Suspension
C) The Culling
D) Internment
- 24. In which decade did the events that open the book primarily take place?
A) 1960s
B) 1980s
C) 1990s
D) 1970s
- 25. Dolours and Marian Price were initially convicted for a bombing in which city?
A) London
B) Belfast
C) Manchester
D) Dublin
- 26. How did Dolours Price protest her imprisonment?
A) A writing campaign
B) Escaping from prison
C) Rioting
D) Hunger strike
- 27. What was the nickname for the IRA's internal security unit?
A) The Nutting Squad
B) The Enforcers
C) The Ghost Squad
D) The Belfast Brigade
- 28. On what date was 'Bloody Sunday', a major event discussed in the book?
A) January 30, 1972
B) August 15, 1971
C) Easter Monday, 1916
D) July 12, 1969
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