The common cold is the world’s most widespread illness,which is probably why there are more myths about it than any of the other illnesses.

The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in distant and isolated Arctic regions explorers have reposed being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected(感染的) people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes．

At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long periods of time．After taking hot baths，they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be doused(浸入) with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty(通风的) room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to complete tiredness. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose．

If,then,cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? Despite the most pains—taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people are more likely to stay together indoors in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on．

No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors(止痛片) such as aspirin,but all they do is to relieve the symptoms．

【1】The fact that the Eskimos don’t suffer colds shows that ________.

A. colds are really full of myths

B. viruses are the factors causing colds

C. colds are more serious than other illnesses

D. the idea that cold leads to colds doesn’t stand up

【2】The experiments mentioned in Paragraph 3 made it clear that ________.

A. it was viruses not wet and cold that made people have colds

B. taking hot baths made the volunteers easy to be tired

C. being doused with cold water did harm to one’s body

D. people who would like to exercise in the rain got colds more easily

【3】According to the passage, colds are commonly seen in winter because ________.

A. staying together indoors makes it easier for viruses to pass on

B. viruses can go into people’s warm bodies more easily in winter

C. there is great difference between indoor and outdoor temperature

D. People are usually weak because of the extreme cold in winter

【4】The passage mainly discusses ________.

A. the experiments on colds

B. the myths about colds

C. the reason and the way people catch colds

D. the continued spread of common colds

答案

【1】D

【2】A

【3】A

【4】C

解析

试题分析：本文通过大量实验和实例来证明，普通的感冒不是由寒冷引起的，而是由病毒感染引起的。冷会让很多人在室内的时间更长，更容易传播病菌。

【1】D 细节理解题。根据第二段的If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever.可知，如果感冒是寒冷引起的话，那么爱斯基摩人就会永远感冒，可是他们没有，说明感冒不是因为寒冷。故选D。

【2】A  细节理解题。根据第三段的最后一句Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose.可知，实验证明是病毒而不是湿冷的空气让人感冒。故选A。

【3】A 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.可知，人们在冷天更容易得感冒是因为经常一起待在室内，病毒更容易感染，故选A。

【4】C 主旨大意题。阅读全文可知，本文首先用大量事例从不同的侧面分析感冒不是由寒冷引起的，最后提出冬天得感冒的可能原因。故选C。