The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational settings, instructional designers often strive to manage cognitive load to enhance learning outcomes. According to Sweller's cognitive load theory, learning is hindered when the intrinsic complexity of the material, combined with the way it is presented, exceeds the learner's available working memory capacity. Extraneous cognitive load, which arises from poorly designed instruction, can be reduced by simplifying presentations or using worked examples. However, intrinsic load, which depends on the element interactivity of the content, cannot be altered without changing the nature of the task. Therefore, effective teaching strategies must balance these types of load to optimize schema acquisition.
❓ 本文によると、内発的認知負荷と外発的認知負荷の主な違いは何ですか？
A. 内発的負荷は学習に有益である一方、外的負荷は常に有害である。
B. 内的負荷は教材自体の複雑さによって決まるのに対し、外的負荷は指導設計によって引き起こされる。
C. 外的負荷は完全に排除できるが、内的負荷は軽減できない。
D. 内発的負荷は教育現場でのみ発生する一方、外的負荷はあらゆる状況で発生する。
✅ 正确答案
Intrinsic load is determined by the complexity of the material itself, whereas extraneous load is caused by instructional design.
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