- 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) World War II espionage
B) The Vietnam War
C) The Troubles in Northern Ireland
D) The Cuban Revolution
- 2. Which real-life disappearance is a central event investigated in the book?
A) Amelia Earhart
B) Jimmy Hoffa
C) Lord Lucan
D) Jean McConville
- 3. Which paramilitary organization is most prominently featured?
A) The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
B) The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
C) The Red Hand Commando
D) The Provisional IRA
- 4. What was the codename for the British Army's undercover unit in Northern Ireland?
A) The Military Reaction Force (MRF)
B) MI5 Operatives
C) The Black Watch
D) Special Air Service (SAS)
- 5. Who is the prominent IRA member and later informant known by the pseudonym 'Stakeknife'?
A) Brendan Hughes
B) Dolours Price
C) Freddie Scappaticci
D) Gerry Adams
- 6. The book's title, 'Say Nothing', is a reference to what?
A) A poem by Seamus Heaney
B) A British interrogation technique
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 Trinity College Archives
B) The Cambridge Oral History Initiative
C) The Oxford History Project
D) The Belfast Project
- 8. What was the primary reason Jean McConville was abducted?
A) She was accused of being an informant
B) She was a British soldier's wife
C) She witnessed a bank robbery
D) She refused to pay protection money
- 9. Which IRA volunteer gave extensive interviews about the McConville disappearance before her death?
A) Bernadette Devlin McAliskey
B) Mairead Farrell
C) Dolours Price
D) Marian Price
- 10. Where were the remains of Jean McConville eventually discovered?
A) In the mountains of County Down
B) Beneath a Belfast housing estate
C) On a beach in County Louth
D) In a bog in County Armagh
- 11. Which prominent political figure is repeatedly alleged in the book to have been in the IRA?
A) David Trimble
B) John Hume
C) Ian Paisley
D) Gerry Adams
- 12. Which event is considered a major turning point that intensified the conflict?
A) Bloody Sunday
B) The Brighton hotel bombing
C) The Easter Rising
D) The signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty
- 13. What was the primary role of Brendan Hughes in the IRA?
A) Negotiator with the British
B) Public spokesperson
C) IRA commander in Belfast
D) Chief bomb-maker
- 14. What was the fate of many of the 'disappeared'?
A) They were exiled to England
B) They were publicly tried
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) Boston College
B) Harvard University
C) Queen's University Belfast
D) The National Archives of the UK
- 16. What was the public role of Gerry Adams during the Troubles?
A) British Member of Parliament
B) IRA Chief of Staff
C) Irish Taoiseach
D) Sinn Féin president
- 17. What was the ironic fate of many IRA members who targeted informants?
A) They were awarded medals by the UK
B) They retired peacefully
C) They were often informants themselves
D) They became successful politicians
- 18. What is a major theme explored through the McConville family's story?
A) The long-term trauma of the conflict
B) The ease of post-conflict reconciliation
C) The benefits of British rule
D) The economic prosperity of Belfast
- 19. What legal concept was challenged by the subpoena of the Belfast Project tapes?
A) Freedom of the press
B) Academic confidentiality
C) Diplomatic immunity
D) The right to a fair trial
- 20. How does Keefe portray the morality of the conflict?
A) As an illegal terrorist campaign
B) As complex and morally ambiguous
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) Martin McGuinness
C) Bobby Sands
D) Gerry Adams
- 22. Dolours and Marian Price were known for their involvement in what infamous 1973 event?
A) The Brighton hotel bombing
B) The Bloody Sunday march
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 Culling
C) The Suspension
D) Internment
- 24. In which decade did the events that open the book primarily take place?
A) 1960s
B) 1990s
C) 1970s
D) 1980s
- 25. Dolours and Marian Price were initially convicted for a bombing in which city?
A) Belfast
B) Manchester
C) Dublin
D) London
- 26. How did Dolours Price protest her imprisonment?
A) Rioting
B) Escaping from prison
C) A writing campaign
D) Hunger strike
- 27. What was the nickname for the IRA's internal security unit?
A) The Ghost Squad
B) The Belfast Brigade
C) The Enforcers
D) The Nutting Squad
- 28. On what date was 'Bloody Sunday', a major event discussed in the book?
A) January 30, 1972
B) August 15, 1971
C) July 12, 1969
D) Easter Monday, 1916
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