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 learning is most effective when instructional designs align with human cognitive architecture. Intrinsic load is the inherent difficulty of the material itself, while extraneous load is generated by the way information is presented. Germane load, on the other hand, is the effort devoted to processing and understanding the material, which directly contributes to learning. Research indicates that poorly designed materials can unnecessarily increase extraneous load, thereby reducing the cognitive resources available for germane processing. Therefore, educators should minimize extraneous load by simplifying presentations, while managing intrinsic load through sequencing complex tasks. This approach optimizes the working memory capacity, facilitating deeper learning.
❓ 本文によると、教育者が無関係な負荷を最小限に抑える主な理由は何ですか?
A. A. 学習教材自体の難易度を下げること。
B. B. 教材をより深く処理するための認知的リソースを解放するため。
C. C. 作業記憶において使用される精神的努力の総量を増やすこと。
D. D. 複雑なタスクの順序付けの必要性を排除するため。
✅ 正确答案
B. To free up cognitive resources for deeper processing of the material.
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