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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What event was, according to the author, an example of ancient pageantry which was enriched and improved by technological advances?
(a) The first motion picture.
(b) The first performance of "Romeo and Juliet" in a theater equipped with modern technology.
(c) The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
(d) The inauguration of the first President, George Washington.

2. According to the author, why do religious devotees participate in practices to atone for their sins?
(a) To get a reprieve from feelings of guilt or inadequacy.
(b) To achieve a natural high, created by feelings of religious exultation.
(c) To prepare themselves for judgment after death.
(d) To achieve a better understanding of themselves and the teachings of their religion.

3. What affects one's ability to have visionary experiences, according to the author, if one is using the first method mentioned in Appendix 1?
(a) The amount of substance that is allowed to reach the brain.
(b) The duration of use.
(c) The number of times a person has used.
(d) The person's disposition before use.

4. What substance is the author testing in the experiment?
(a) Cocaine.
(b) Angel dust.
(c) Mescalin.
(d) Acid.

5. The author feels that all human beings are naturally what?
(a) Solitary, but not introspective.
(b) Introspective and solitary.
(c) Solitary, but sometimes focused on others.
(d) Introspective, but group-oriented.

6. According to the author, in Appendix 2 what was the result of our ancestors' winter diets?
(a) They often had cravings for foods that weren't available to them, which made them irritable.
(b) By spring, they were suffering from scurvy and pellagra.
(c) They lost a great deal of weight during the winter.
(d) They sometimes died because they went out searching for food when the weather was still inclement and wintry.

7. Artificial lighting gave, according to the author, a new visionary quality to what form of ancient art?
(a) Painting.
(b) Sculpture.
(c) Architecture.
(d) Basketweaving.

8. What is the difference between the two techniques the author describes in Appendix 1?
(a) One is completely non-toxic, while the other has some lasting side effects.
(b) One is well-researched, while the other is relatively unknown.
(c) One involves chemicals, while the other makes use of physics.
(d) One is costly, while the other is inexpensive.

9. To what field of science does the author compare the human mind at the beginning of "Heaven and Hell"?
(a) Ornithology.
(b) Physiology.
(c) Etymology.
(d) Zoology.

10. Why are religious beings often portrayed doing nothing?
(a) Because it would be sacreligious to presume to know what divine beings do with their time.
(b) Because it is too difficult for most painters to make something beautiful and to also convey a message with it.
(c) Because human beings are not predisposed to look for action in art.
(d) Because their role is not an active one.

11. Why is the first technique in Appendix 1 even less understood than mescalin use?
(a) Its specific effects on the brain are not well understood.
(b) It is used by very few people in comparison to mescalin.
(c) No research has been performed to determine its long-term effects.
(d) There's a lot of variation in what people see while using this technique.

12. How does the author describe our ancestors' winter diets in Appendix 2?
(a) They ate pretty much the same diet they ate during the rest of the year.
(b) They ate no fruit, no vegetables, and very little meat or dairy.
(c) They ate mostly meat and grains, with some fruit and vegetables.
(d) They ate dried meat and fruit which they stored during the autumn harvest.

13. What is the drawback to the "visionary arts" mentioned in Appendix 3?
(a) They can only be experienced in large groups.
(b) They are experienced differently by each individual, so no one understands how another experiences them.
(c) They require a great deal of time, effort and expense to put on.
(d) They are ephemeral, and earlier masterpieces have been lost to us.

14. What is the art form which is most likely to transport those who experience it?
(a) Sculpture.
(b) Stained glass.
(c) Painting.
(d) Jewelry.

15. What substance is produced when adrenalin decomposes?
(a) Serotonin.
(b) Melatonin.
(c) Adrenochrome.
(d) Mescalin.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why were our ancestors' visions often negative, according to the author?

2. How does the author feel about the passage of time during the experiment?

3. What does the author wonder about the neurological patterns produced during visionary experiences at the end of Appendix 1?

4. Which of these is NOT a specialist who the author feels should be consulted by an aspiring mystic?

5. How would a spiritual person interpret chemically-induced visionary experiences?

(see the answer keys)

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