When cold season approaches, many people take precautions to avoid colds and flu. The flu shot is a first line of defense. Doctor's offices and pharmacies dispense shots. Many clinics, community groups, and public health departments offer free shots. Healthy eating, drinking plenty of fluids, and getting enough sleep are also important guards against winter illness
The most important step of all, in order to stay well during cold season, is washing your hands frequently. Colds and flu are transmitted through your hands. The most common cold virus is the rhinovirus. You pick up and pass on flu and cold viruses whenever you touch surfaces contaminated by other people. Doorknobs, handles, faucets, food-cart and basket handles, elevator buttons, public phones, tables, and trays, to name a few, can all carry viruses and bacteria Touching your nose or rubbing your eyes after an outing are the quickest way to pick up germs on your hands. So, pay attention and keep washing!
What is the main claim of the passage? How does the author support the claim? Identify a sentence in the second paragraph that contains an irrelevant detail.
The main claim of the passage is that washing hands frequently is the most important step to stay well during cold season.
The author supports this claim by explaining how colds and flu are transmitted through hands and how frequently touching surfaces contaminated by others can pass on viruses and bacteria. Additionally, the author mentions the importance of other preventative measures such as getting the flu shot, healthy eating, drinking plenty of fluids, and getting enough sleep.
A sentence in the second paragraph that contains an irrelevant detail is: "The most common cold virus is the rhinovirus." This sentence is not directly relevant to supporting the claim about washing hands frequently being important, as it provides information about a specific virus but does not specifically relate it to the importance of handwashing.