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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to the author, what is one example of the importance of colors and light to many cultures?
(a) Fireworks.
(b) Lasers.
(c) Tattoos.
(d) Gemstones.

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

3. 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 are a living sacrifice but not associated with feelings of guilt and shame the way other sacrifices are.
(d) Because they don't have anything precious to give, but flowers are always available.

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

5. 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) He is keenly aware of, and saddened by, each passing second.
(c) It doesn't matter to him at all.
(d) His perception of time is unchanged.

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

7. According to the author, what are the two reasons for the manner in which visionaries are received?
(a) Physical and religious.
(b) Chemical and physical.
(c) Philosophical and chemical.
(d) Religious and philosophical.

8. How does the author respond when asked about spatial relationships?
(a) They are more noticeable and pronounced than usual.
(b) They have completely ceased to matter to him.
(c) They don't seem to matter as much as they usually do.
(d) They are warped and inaccurate.

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

10. According to the author, what are the two ways to achieve a level of consciousness that allows for exploration of the undiscovered areas of the mind?
(a) Fasting and meditation.
(b) Meditation and drugs.
(c) Drugs and hypnosis.
(d) Drugs and fasting.

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

12. Which of these is NOT a specialist who the author feels should be consulted by an aspiring mystic?
(a) Biochemist.
(b) Psychologist.
(c) Pharmacologist.
(d) Ornithologist.

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

14. What is the name of the plant in which the substance being tested is found?
(a) Peyote.
(b) Coca.
(c) Wormwood.
(d) Marijuana.

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

Short Answer Questions

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

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

3. According to the author, at the end of Appendix 1 what is one claim that is made almost universally by visionaries?

4. Which is NOT one of the "visionary arts" that the author mentions at the beginning of Appendix 3?

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

(see the answer keys)

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