The Fountains of Silence: A Novel

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-27 

Reading Check

1. What does Rafa sell to the women standing in line at the slaughterhouse?

2. What is Rafa’s second job, besides working at the slaughterhouse?

3. What does Ben suggest that Daniel might be able to get if he builds a strong portfolio of photos of the suffering in Madrid?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does ignoring his father’s warning land Daniel in trouble when he is out taking photographs?

2. What does Puri’s encounter with the woman outside the orphanage in Chapter 10 imply is true about the babies she has seen being brought in through the back door?

3. How did Fuga get his name?

4. Besides a desire to earn money, what is Rafa’s motivation for choosing the two jobs that he works?

Paired Resource

“The ‘Stolen Babies’ Trial in Spain Finally Shines a Light on a Scandal That Cannot be Forgotten”

• This Conversation article by Federico López-Terra offers in-depth information about the Franco-era practice of stealing and adopting out babies.
• This resource relates to the themes of Fascism and Silence.