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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why were our ancestors' visions often negative, according to the author?
(a) They lived in more dangerous environments.
(b) Their visions were induced by a different means.
(c) They believed in the Devil and were afraid of damnation.
(d) They had shorter life spans.

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

3. Why are marble and stone often particularly impressive materials in art?
(a) Because they are so hard to find.
(b) Because they last longer than many other pieces of art.
(c) Because the pieces made from them are usually very large.
(d) Because they are more difficult to work with than other media.

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

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

6. How was the drug typically used up until the 1950s?
(a) To sedate those with psychiatric problems.
(b) Recreationally.
(c) In religious ceremonies.
(d) Recreationally, and in religious ceremonies.

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

8. 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 phoenix of undulating rainbow colors.
(b) A vision of Heaven.
(c) A Japanese landscape.
(d) A vision of Hell.

9. What chemicals were released into the bloodstream during the act of self-flagellation?
(a) Endorphins and serotonin.
(b) Serotonin and adrenalin.
(c) Adrenalin and histamines.
(d) Histamines and endorphins.

10. What was a magic lantern show?
(a) A laser light display.
(b) The nineteenth-century equivalent of a movie.
(c) A projection created with cut-glass and candlelight.
(d) An early fireworks display.

11. What is known about the substance being tested as of the year the experiment is performed?
(a) It can have serious or even fatal side effects, but only in a very small percentage of people who use it.
(b) It alters one's mental state, but often induces anxiety or panic.
(c) It can alter the subject's mental state without any noticeable side effects.
(d) It is only safe to use in small doses.

12. What topic does the author explore in Appendix 2?
(a) The role of visionaries and mystics in the modern Western world.
(b) The personality traits common to most visionaries and mystics.
(c) The uncommon accuracy with which most visionaries are able to recall their visions.
(d) The availability and safety of various vision-inducing techniques.

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

14. According to the author, what is theatrical spectacle?
(a) A way of communicating morals and values to lower-class citizens.
(b) Pageantry without religious or political overtones.
(c) A means by which those without access to high culture can enjoy pageantry.
(d) A transporting and enlightening form of pageantry.

15. What results were produced when a researcher prodded parts of the brain with a fine electrode?
(a) The subjects experienced a variety of emotions.
(b) The subjects were able to learn new languages and skills more efficiently.
(c) The subjects recalled detailed and distant memories.
(d) Various parts of the subjects' bodies twitched.

Short Answer Questions

1. What affects one's ability to have visionary experiences, according to the author, if one is using the first method mentioned in Appendix 1?

2. The author feels that all human beings are naturally what?

3. What were the two primary uses of the science of "pyrotechny," according to the author?

4. What event was, according to the author, an example of ancient pageantry which was enriched and improved by technological advances?

5. How are many visionaries received by others, according to the author?

(see the answer keys)

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