Does Low Body Temperature Cause Illness

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.
Why does the author include the detail "Since that first experiment…variety of different illnesses" in paragraph 2?

A) To introduce the theories regarding being indoors and getting sick, found in paragraph 3.
B) To offer a contradicting opinion regarding the findings discovered in the 1950 experiment.
C) To give the reader a sense of the research that has been done regarding the common cold.
D) To support the idea that studies have proven that getting sick is not linked to cold weather.

Correct Answer:

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