strange, secondary, distinguished, and program

The primary stage of the program was where you were separated from your peers to be observed by experts in the field. They would note whether you excelled at simple tasks and were therefore worthy of more of their time and theorizing or were flat out incompetent and could be left among the normal group. If you did, somehow, impress beyond the ordinary and became part of their further research. The secondary phase was distinguished by severe trauma over trying to succeed at something for which most were ill-prepared, leaving you ecstatic if you achieved the set goals but feeling strange and inadequate were you to detect the merest sign of a scowl on the faces of the judges.
They never lie.
They are never complacent.