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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to Gurdjieff, contemporary literature falls into which three categories?
(a) non-fiction, newspapers and travel books
(b) the scientific field, narratives (novels) and descriptions
(c) science books, magazines and newspapers
(d) non-fiction, poetry and journalism

2. What did Gurdjieff and Pogossian pursue together?
(a) They decided to pursue medical careers together.
(b) They studied the Scriptures together.
(c) They pursued a career in agriculture.
(d) They became interested in ancient Armenian books.

3. How did Gurdjieff and Pogossian secure passage on a ship to Egypt?
(a) They came to the aid of some English sailors in a fight.
(b) They sneaked on board a ship destined for Alexandria
(c) The bribed a ship's captain to take them to Egypt.
(d) They got jobs as crew members on an Egyptian ship.

4. What had Gurdjieff's family first intended him to be?
(a) a cattle herder
(b) an ashokh or bard
(c) a soldier
(d) a priest

5. Who, in Gurdjieff's opinion, invents the grammar of languages?
(a) people who are on a lower level than ordinary simple people
(b) linguists
(c) learned, well-educated grammarians
(d) university professors

6. What did Dean Borsh teach Gurdjieff?
(a) geography and other subjects
(b) mathematics and other subjects
(c) history and other subjects
(d) Scripture and other subjects

7. What has the literature of contemporary civilization to give according to Gurdjieff?
(a) the development of "word prostitution"
(b) the development of "an illusory view of life"
(c) the development of "superficiality in everyday life"
(d) the development of "lies"

8. When was the Essene Brotherhood established?
(a) during Christ's lifetime
(b) four hundred years before the birth of Christ
(c) a thousand years before the birth of Christ
(d) twelve hundred years before the birth of Christ

9. What did Bogachevsky counsel men to do in order to live a moral life?
(a) a man should study many subjects and become educated
(b) a man should follow his own conscience and not heed others
(c) a man should travel the world and observe people
(d) a man should try to please others

10. What kind of education was Father Borsh in favor of having Gurdjieff pursue?
(a) a military education
(b) the priesthood
(c) a medical education
(d) a practical education in woodworking

11. What state did Gurdjieff experience, according to Mullah Nassr Eddin's words, after many sleepless nights?
(a) "to feel oneself tired to the bone"
(b) "to feel oneself run over by a herd of camels"
(c) "to feel oneself plunged in galoshes to the eyebrows"
(d) "to feel like death warmed over"

12. What treasure did Gurdjieff secretly get from the Armenian priest?
(a) a copy he makes from an ancient map of "pre-sand Egypt"
(b) an ancient map of Armenian treasure caves
(c) an ancient parchment with esoteric secrets
(d) a copy of an ancient Armenian parchment

13. Where did the second contest that Gurdjieff witnessed take place?
(a) Istanbul in Turkey
(b) Baku in Turkey
(c) Karabakh in Azerbaijan
(d) Bagdad

14. How did Gurdjieff 's father react when misfortunes befell him?
(a) He wept and wailed
(b) He sought comfort from his friends and family
(c) He had an inner calm and detachment
(d) He cursed God and his fate

15. With whom did Gurdjieff's father carry on long conversations about philosophy and theology?
(a) with his close friend, Ivan Ivanovich
(b) with his brother, Gurdjieff's beloved uncle
(c) with Gurdjieff himself
(d) with Gurdjieff's first tutor, Dean Borsh

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Gurdjieff first meet Dean Borsh?

2. How old was Dean Borsh when he first taught Gurdjieff and visited his father to discuss religious and historical subjects?

3. Where did Gurdjieff''s father come from?

4. Where did Gurdjieff witness his third ashokh contest?

5. What was Ani?

(see the answer keys)

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