Answer:
The author explains how tea was popular among the upper class. He quotes Samuel Johnson to illustrate its popularity.
Step-by-step explanation:
This sentence is the best summary of the excerpt because it covers the main points of the piece of writing in a brief and concise manner Through the excerpt, the author explains how famous, delicious and expensive the tea has been since 1700, especially among the upper class since it is the one who could afford it, and he or she illustrates such fact by quoting Samuel Johnson.
The other options are incorrect because although the author does mention how addictive tea can be, and he or she mentions that it was bitter, that was sometimes served with sugar and milk and that it was locked in caddies, all of these are just details or characteristics of the tea and not the main point itself.