Anyone know a good method for finding the main idea

Read the passage from sugar changed the world. but there is another story as well. information about sugar spread as human knowledge expanded, as great civilizations and cultures exchanged ideas. in fact, while sugar was the direct cause of the expansion of slavery, the global connections that sugar brought about also fostered the most powerful ideas of human freedom. how do the details in this passage support the authors’ purpose? the details about the expansion of sugar inform readers about how widespread the use of sugar was. the details about human knowledge inform readers about how humans learned about sugar. the details about ideas and global connections persuade readers that sugar’s story has multiple consequences. the details about the spread of information about sugar entertain readers with stories of travel.

Which of the following is not a part of plot? exposition falling action rising action conflict i believe its conflict

Which pair of words has similar denotation but different connotations?