Question

a social network usually acts as a support system for its members. it helps members maintain good physical and mental health or prevent physical and mental breakdown. it also reduces the risk of dying prematurely or committing suicide. there are several reasons for this. our social network of friends, relatives, and coworkers can make us feel good by boosting our self - esteem despite our weaknesses and difficulties. because they are more objective than we are about our problems, they can open our eyes to solutions that we are too emotionally distressed to see. the companionship from our network, strengthened by our frequent participation in recreational activities, can bring us joy while chasing away loneliness and worries. finally, our friends and relatives often give us instrumental support—money and other aid—to help us cope with our problems. all these social and psychological factors have an impact on our bodily health. they keep our blood pressure and heart rate at low levels by reducing our brains secretion of stress hormones.
in contrast, our loved ones place many demands on our time and personal resources. they can irritate us by criticizing us or invading our privacy. this is shown in a study of the social networks of 120 widows. in this study, the women reported that more than two - thirds of the people who made their lives more difficult were their friends and relatives. in fact, these negative experiences may drag down peoples sense of well - being more than the positive social support can raise it up. negative encounters usually have a stronger impact than positive ones; an argument stands out against a background of pleasant experiences. thus, an isolated friendly exchange at a wedding that is already filled with strife between in - laws can restore only a little peacefulness. on the other hand, a single heated exchange at an otherwise tranquil wedding can ruin the whole experience. in sum, social networks can have both positive and negative consequences for peoples lives.
which sentence best expresses the main idea of the first paragraph?
a people with a network of family and friends are less likely to die prematurely or commit suicide.
b having a network of family and friends can be beneficial to ones physical and mental health.
c emotional distress often makes people unable to see solutions to their problems.
d social and psychological support reduce the brains secretion of stress hormones.

Explanation:

To find the main idea of the first paragraph, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Focuses only on premature death and suicide, which is a part of the benefits, not the overall main idea.
• Option B: The first paragraph starts by stating social networks act as a support system for physical and mental health, then explains how (boosting self - esteem, providing solutions, companionship, instrumental support) and how these affect bodily health. This covers the overall benefit of social networks (family and friends) on physical and mental health.
• Option C: This is a detail about emotional distress, not the main idea of the paragraph.
• Option D: This is a detail about how social support affects health, not the main idea.

Answer:

B. Having a network of family and friends can be beneficial to one’s physical and mental health.