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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What happened to "pyrotechny" after the fall of Rome?
(a) The technology was lost, and development had to begin from scratch.
(b) It became used only in religious and national ceremonies.
(c) It returned to being used exclusively for military purposes.
(d) Bigger and brighter displays were invented.

2. Which is NOT one of the "visionary arts" that the author mentions at the beginning of Appendix 3?
(a) Theatrical spectacle.
(b) Religious ritual.
(c) Pageantry.
(d) Fireworks.

3. What is the second technique, described by the author in Appendix 1, for inducing a visionary state?
(a) Use of a repetitive hand movement.
(b) Use of ambient music.
(c) Use of a stroboscopic lamp.
(d) Use of various sound frequencies.

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

5. What researcher performed experiments with touching parts of the brain with a fine electrode?
(a) Penfield.
(b) Kreitz.
(c) Maradon.
(d) Jaung.

6. According to Huxley, what causes negative visionary experiences?
(a) An allergy to mescalin.
(b) The way that mescalin is broken down in the body.
(c) Mental illness.
(d) A negative outlook on life.

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

8. What is the main reason for conducting the experiment in which the author participates?
(a) A need to catalogue the psychological effects of the drug on someone who already has a psychiatric illness.
(b) A need for more comprehensive information regarding the drug's long-term side effects.
(c) A need to understand why the drug has been used in religious and secular ceremonies.
(d) A need to understand the so-called "visionary" experiences associated with the drug.

9. What is Heaven, according to the author?
(a) A fallacy, created by those who misinterpreted visionary experiences.
(b) A concept invented by humanity because of our desperate need for hope.
(c) A vantage point for viewing divinity.
(d) A place of rest and repose, where no one is doing anything.

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

11. 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) They sometimes died because they went out searching for food when the weather was still inclement and wintry.
(c) By spring, they were suffering from scurvy and pellagra.
(d) They lost a great deal of weight during the winter.

12. How would a spiritual person interpret chemically-induced visionary experiences?
(a) A vision which is chemically-induced cannot be divine.
(b) All experiences are chemically-induced, including the divine ones, because that's just how our bodies work.
(c) Most truly spiritual people don't believe in visionary experiences.
(d) They were sent by God, and the chemicals had nothing to do with it.

13. How are light and color typically experienced by mescalin users while they are under the influence of the drug?
(a) They appear as movement trails and waves.
(b) They appear in natural patterns and tessellations.
(c) They appear in soft, rounded shapes, such as balls or orbs.
(d) They appear in geometric shapes, such as buildings or mosaics.

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

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What topic does the author explore in Appendix 2?

2. To what field of science does the author compare the human mind at the beginning of "Heaven and Hell"?

3. What practice has been undertaken by almost all religious aspirants, according to the author?

4. How does the author respond when the researcher asks him if his experience with the drug is positive or negative?

5. According to the author, what are the odds of a negative reaction with the second technique described in Appendix 1?

(see the answer keys)

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