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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. 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.

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

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

4. According to the author, at the end of Appendix 1 what is one claim that is made almost universally by visionaries?
(a) They are unable to produce the visions at will, regardless of the methods they try.
(b) They are unable to recall the experience in anything approaching its original intensity.
(c) They can only have the visions when they are in the right frame of mind to do so.
(d) They never have the same vision twice.

5. How does mescalin affect the user's brain function?
(a) It affects the brain's enzymes and absorption of glucose.
(b) It blocks the brain's ability to filter sensory input.
(c) It makes users unable to recognize or remember familiar people, places and objects.
(d) It affects the user's ability to react appropriately to potentially dangerous situations.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is known about the substance being tested as of the year the experiment is performed?

2. What is the drawback to the "visionary arts" mentioned in Appendix 3?

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

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

5. What is the potential danger of the second technique described in Appendix 1?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the author say about Plato during the first part of the mescalin experiment?

2. What is different about the two forms of visionary art discussed in Appendix 3?

3. What does the author say in "Heaven and Hell" about gemstones?

4. What experiment was conducted on the human brain by Penfield?

5. What types of art have the most transportative properties, according to the author?

6. How does the author feel about the explanations for visions which he presents in Appendix 2?

7. What does the author say about the history of fireworks, in Appendix 3?

8. What are the author's expectations regarding what he will experience during the mescalin trial?

9. How was pageantry used as a political tool?

10. What is known about peyote before the author participates in his experiment with it?

(see the answer keys)

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