The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational psychology, it is often divided into three types: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. Intrinsic load is associated with the inherent difficulty of the material itself, which cannot be altered by instructional design. Extraneous load is generated by the way information is presented to learners, and can be minimized through effective teaching strategies. Germane load, on the other hand, is the effort devoted to processing and constructing schemas, which is beneficial for learning. Research suggests that when extraneous load is high, learners have fewer mental resources available for germane processing, thereby hindering deeper understanding. Therefore, instructional designers aim to reduce extraneous load to free up cognitive capacity for meaningful learning.
❓ Según el pasaje, ¿cuál es la razón principal para minimizar la carga extrínseca en el diseño instruccional?
A. Para aumentar la dificultad inherente del material.
B. Para permitir más recursos mentales para el procesamiento pertinente.
C. Para eliminar la necesidad de memoria de trabajo.
D. Para reducir la carga intrínseca de la materia.
✅ 正确答案
To allow more mental resources for germane processing
IELTS Reading Tips
Skim the questions first, underline keywords, then locate in the passage
Watch for paraphrasing; correct answers are often reworded
Be wary of absolute statements (all, always, never) — usually wrong
Pay attention to content after transition words (however, but, yet)
Manage time: about 20 minutes per passage; skip difficult questions first