The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational settings, cognitive load theory suggests that instructional design should minimize extraneous load to facilitate learning. Extraneous load is generated by the manner in which information is presented to learners, which can be either helpful or hindering. For instance, when a diagram is accompanied by redundant text that merely describes the same information, it can increase extraneous load, thereby impeding the learning process. Conversely, integrating visual and verbal information in a complementary way can reduce this load, allowing learners to allocate more cognitive resources to the essential processing of the material. Research has shown that novice learners benefit greatly from such integrated formats, whereas experts might not show the same advantage due to their existing schemas.
❓ Según el pasaje, ¿cuál es el efecto principal de presentar texto redundante junto a un diagrama?
A. A. Mejora el aprendizaje al proporcionar explicación adicional.
B. B. Aumenta la carga cognitiva extrínseca y dificulta el aprendizaje.
C. C. Reduce la necesidad de memoria de trabajo al procesar información.
D. D. Es igualmente beneficioso tanto para estudiantes principiantes como para expertos.
✅ 正确答案
B. It increases extraneous cognitive load and hinders 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