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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. The substance produced by the breakdown of adrenaline mimics the effect of what psychological disorder?
(a) Attention deficit disorder.
(b) Multiple personality disorder.
(c) Schizophrenia.
(d) Post-traumatic stress disorder.

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

3. When did fireworks re-enter the world of popular entertainment, according to the author?
(a) During the Renaissance.
(b) In the mid-18th century.
(c) During the Industrial Revolution.
(d) During the reign of Elizabeth I.

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

5. How did "pyrotechny" begin in Europe, according to the author?
(a) A pursuit of ever-greater displays for leisure and religion.
(b) Alchemists' pursuit of a substance that would transform base metals into gold.
(c) Weaponry for sieges and naval battles.
(d) A source of propulsion for machinery and engines.

Short Answer Questions

1. What results were produced when a researcher prodded parts of the brain with a fine electrode?

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

3. Artificial lighting gave, according to the author, a new visionary quality to what form of ancient art?

4. To what does the author compare someone fasting and self-flagellating, instead of using drugs, to achieve a visionary experience?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the second vision-inducing method discussed in Appendix 1?

6. What are the two methods discussed in Appendix 1 for inducing a visionary experience?

7. How was pageantry used as a political tool?

8. What effects did our ancestors experience as a result of their diets, according to the information presented in Appendix 2?

9. What personal story is related by the author concerning the second vision-inducing method in Appendix 1?

10. What metaphor does the author use at the beginning of "Heaven and Hell" to describe the unexplored regions of the human psyche?

(see the answer keys)

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