The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational psychology, cognitive load theory suggests that instructional design should minimize extraneous cognitive load to facilitate learning. Extraneous load is generated by the way information is presented to learners, rather than by the inherent complexity of the material itself. For instance, a poorly designed diagram that requires learners to search for corresponding labels can increase extraneous load, thereby hindering schema acquisition. In contrast, intrinsic load is tied to the difficulty of the subject matter and cannot be altered by instructional methods. Effective teaching materials aim to manage intrinsic load while reducing extraneous load, allowing learners to devote more cognitive resources to the process of understanding and integrating new knowledge.
❓ According to the passage, what is the primary purpose of reducing extraneous cognitive load?
A. To simplify the subject matter so that it requires less mental effort
B. To free up mental resources for better comprehension and learning
C. To increase the intrinsic load of the learning material
D. To eliminate the need for working memory in the learning process
✅ 正确答案
To free up mental resources for better comprehension and learning
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