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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The word vipassana is generally translated to what English word?
(a) Tranquility.
(b) Pleasure.
(c) Insight.
(d) Peace.

2. Whom does the author name as being on the lowest end of the spectrum in relation to how easy it will be for a person to pick up meditation?
(a) Russell Westbrook.
(b) John McEnroe.
(c) Bobby Knight.
(d) Nate Diaz.

3. What is NOT a feeling listed by the author as one that fosters "wars and atrocities" (4)?
(a) Greed.
(b) Hatred.
(c) Despair.
(d) Sloth.

4. In what year did the author of the book What the Buddah Taught write the work?
(a) 1959.
(b) 1983.
(c) 2001.
(d) 1973.

5. What ratio does the author say he usually experiences throughout a meditation retreat when he mentions that part is bliss and part is difficult?
(a) 4 to 1.
(b) 1 to 4.
(c) 1 to 2.
(d) 2 to 3.

6. When ancient Buddhist writings mention the term sati, what does the word mean in English?
(a) Mindfulness.
(b) Peace.
(c) Stillness.
(d) Tranquility.

7. What do psychologists call the network in the brain that is active when people are not doing anything in particular?
(a) The temporal lobe.
(b) The aggregate self.
(c) Rational distortion network.
(d) The default mode network.

8. What is the name of the eminent twentieth-century scholar of Buddhism?
(a) Jerome Barkow.
(b) Edward Conze.
(c) Bhikkhu Bodhi.
(d) Aaron Beck.

9. What types of insects were making noise outside of the author's window on the fifth night of his first meditation retreat?
(a) Crickets.
(b) Cicadas.
(c) Katydids.
(d) Locusts.

10. According to Buddhist scripture, what is the name of the braggart who challenged The Buddha's notions of not-self?
(a) Ngo Din Diem.
(b) Aggivessana.
(c) Thich Quang Duc.
(d) Bhikkhu Bodhi.

11. On what body process should first-timers focus when meditating?
(a) Breath.
(b) Blood.
(c) Phlegm.
(d) Bile.

12. How many minutes does the author say he spends meditating each morning?
(a) 30 minutes.
(b) 40 minutes.
(c) 20 minutes.
(d) 15 minutes.

13. What happened when the author analyzed closely his feelings before his speech at Poptech?
(a) The anxiety seemed to ebb.
(b) The fear went away.
(c) The fear stayed within practicable limits.
(d) The shame increased.

14. Which group of people does the author say especially identified with the film he references within the chapter title "Take the Red Pill"?
(a) Cartesians.
(b) Western Buddhists.
(c) Tibetan Buddhists.
(d) Taoists.

15. In what decade were the famous series of experiments conducted by Benjamin Libet?
(a) The 1970s.
(b) The 1980s.
(c) The 1990s.
(d) The 1960s.

Short Answer Questions

1. What adjective does the author apply to the phenomenon of road rage?

2. In what year did the author attend his first silent meditation retreat?

3. The Buddah lived and taught how many years ago?

4. What two drugs does the author say he imagines produce results similar to the feelings he had after a particularly good session of meditation at his first retreat?

5. What emotion does the author say he feels when he is getting ready for a public speaking engagement?

(see the answer keys)

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