There are a lot of different opinions, but this is what I would do.

1) I would run a small bead of silicone on the ends and trash the gaskets that come with the kit be they cork or rubber.
2) I use the gasket supplied with a thin coat of #2 Form-A-Gasket.
3) Same as number 2.
4) The trick here IMHO is to make sure the bolt holes in the pan are flat, the surfaces are clean and using the gasket supplied tighten the bolts in a sequence from side to side to side. Once everything is snug you can torque the bolts to manufacturers specs in sequence.