Does Low Body Temperature Cause Illness?
As children, we are often told to dress warmly in the winter so we do not get sick. This is a common piece of advice, but is there any truth behind it?
In fact, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that being cold can get you sick. Most illnesses are caused by viruses and bacteria. Illnesses like strep throat, influenza, and the common cold are only spread through contact with other infected people. How cold you are when you come into contact with the virus or bacteria has nothing to do with whether or not you will get sick.
The effect of body temperature on contracting illness was tested on human beings in the 1950s. Researchers divided volunteers into two groups: half of them were kept in a warm room and the other half were kept in a cold room. Both groups were then exposed to rhinovirus-the virus responsible for the common cold. The researchers discovered that members of both groups developed colds at the same rate. Since that first experiment, there have been similar experiments performed with a variety of different illnesses. All have yielded the same result: being cold does not make a person more likely to get sick.
Of course, it does seem that people do get sick more often when the weather is cold. However, this is because there is some evidence that people do get sick more often in cold weather, but it has nothing to do with forgetting to bundle up when it is chilly. When it is cold outside, people tend to stay inside. With so many people gathered closely together indoors, germs are spread more easily. Germs are spread from person to person, regardless of how cold or warm their bodies are.
What is the main idea of the passage?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is the general idea of the passage, as it discusses the common, inaccurate idea regarding illness and states that it is not completely accurate.
People usually have the wrong idea when it comes to scientific processes regarding sickness is incorrect. Although this passage alludes to the fact that the common idea held by people regarding the relationship between cold weather and illness is false, this option is too vague to be considered the main idea of the passage. Additionally, it would not be accurate to state that people usually have the wrong idea when it comes to scientific processes based on the information in the text, as the text does not go in-depth regarding scientific processes.
Illnesses are spread through contact with people is incorrect. Although this is correct, as stated in paragraph 1, it is not considered comprehensive enough to be the main idea of the entire passage. 
Researchers have been studying the effects of body temperature on illness since the 1950s is incorrect. Although the experiment in the 1950s is discussed in paragraph 2, it would not be completely accurate to state that it had been studied since the 1950s. In any case, it is not the most comprehensive idea of the passage and is only used as a supporting detail.