Read the passage and answer: Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Originally cultivated in Ethiopia, coffee spread to the Arab world, Europe, and eventually the Americas. Today, Brazil produces about a third of the world's coffee, with Vietnam, Colombia, and several other countries also being major producers. The global coffee industry is worth hundreds of billions of dollars annually and supports millions of farmers and workers worldwide. What is the main idea?

The main idea captures the passage's overall message. This passage discusses: (1) coffee's popularity, (2) its historical spread, (3) major producers, (4) economic importance. The unifying theme is that coffee is globally significant in history and economics. Distractor analysis: 'originates in Ethiopia' is one supporting detail; 'Brazil produces the most coffee' is one supporting fact; 'coffee is expensive' isn't really stated. The main idea is broader than any single detail. Main idea questions can be phrased as: 'What is the main idea?' 'What is the passage primarily about?' 'What is the best summary?' 'What is the central topic?' All variations seek the same thing — the overall meaning. Beware of distractors that are: too narrow (just one detail), too broad (cover much more than the passage), or off-topic (unrelated to the passage's actual content).