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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What film does the author reference as an example of the distorted documentary?
(a) "The Revolt of Islam."
(b) "The Living Desert."
(c) "NY, NY."
(d) "Queen Mab."

2. What is the potential danger of the second technique described in Appendix 1?
(a) It may produce long-term changes in brain function.
(b) It may last longer than the user originally intended.
(c) It may create an unpleasant sensation of nausea or vertigo.
(d) It may cause an epileptic seizure.

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

4. According to the author, what did one subject see while under the effects of mescalin and the second technique described in Appendix 1?
(a) A vision of Heaven.
(b) A phoenix of undulating rainbow colors.
(c) A Japanese landscape.
(d) A vision of Hell.

5. What does the author wonder about the neurological patterns produced during visionary experiences at the end of Appendix 1?
(a) Why people are so fond of experiencing these patterns.
(b) What happens to these patterns when the experience is over.
(c) How the experiencer's brain is affected by the experience.
(d) How these patterns can be reproduced at the user's will.

6. What is self-flagellation?
(a) The act of cutting oneself.
(b) The act of piercing one's skin.
(c) The act of whipping oneself.
(d) The act of burning oneself.

7. How are many visionaries received by others, according to the author?
(a) They are treated like normal people who had an extraordinary experience.
(b) They are treated with reverence and respect.
(c) They are regarded with suspicion, but are generally believed if they produce enough evidence.
(d) They are seen as lunatics or swindlers.

8. How does the author feel about the passage of time during the experiment?
(a) He feels that time speeds up at times, and slows down at others.
(b) His perception of time is unchanged.
(c) It doesn't matter to him at all.
(d) He is keenly aware of, and saddened by, each passing second.

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

10. In what year does the experiment take place?
(a) 1962.
(b) 1978.
(c) 1925.
(d) 1953.

11. To what does the author compare someone fasting and self-flagellating, instead of using drugs, to achieve a visionary experience?
(a) Burning down a house to roast a pig.
(b) Driving somewhere instead of flying there.
(c) Tying your hands together and trying to knit.
(d) Rowing a boat, or using a motor.

12. What does the author say about vision-inducing devices and effects at the beginning of Appendix 3?
(a) They have played a greater role in fine art than in popular entertainment.
(b) They have played a greater role in popular entertainment than in fine arts.
(c) They have played a greater role in religion than in fine art.
(d) They have played a greater role in popular entertainment than in religion.

13. Why do people sometimes leave flowers as a religious offering, according to the author?
(a) Because they don't really understand the significance of doing so.
(b) Because they feel, on some level, that they are giving back something which is indigenous to Heaven.
(c) Because they don't have anything precious to give, but flowers are always available.
(d) Because they are a living sacrifice but not associated with feelings of guilt and shame the way other sacrifices are.

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

15. What is the main quality of the drug being tested?
(a) Hallucinogenic.
(b) Psychedelic.
(c) Sedative.
(d) Stimulant.

Short Answer Questions

1. When did fireworks re-enter the world of popular entertainment, according to the author?

2. What is NOT a side-effect experienced by under-nourished individuals, according to the author in Appendix 2?

3. How are light and color typically experienced by mescalin users while they are under the influence of the drug?

4. What materials were often used for self-flagellation?

5. According to the author, what is "one of the most magical and transporting of spectacles"?

(see the answer keys)

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