ReadingQuestion 229 of 460

Coffee is now one of the most popular drinks in the world, but its early history is not completely clear. A well-known story says that a goat herder in Ethiopia noticed that his goats became very lively after eating the red fruit of a certain plant. Whether or not this is true, coffee was being grown in Yemen by the fifteenth century, and from there it spread to Makkah, Cairo and Istanbul. Coffee houses became places where people met to talk, play games and listen to music. Later, traders carried coffee to Europe, where some people first met it with suspicion, but it soon became fashionable. Today, coffee is grown in many warm countries, including Brazil, which produces more than any other country. Many people drink it to feel awake, while others simply enjoy the taste.

Question: What is the writer's attitude to the story about the goat herder?

  1. The writer is sure that it is true
  2. The writer is sure that it is false
  3. The writer is angry about it
  4. The writer is not sure that it is true
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Correct answer: The writer is not sure that it is true

'Whether or not this is true' shows the writer is not sure.

Test structure: ETEC information about STEP

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Questions last reviewed: 21 October 2026