Question

Difficulty: MediumWords in Context: High-Utility Vocabulary

In educational psychology, early models of learning assumed that instructional designs should minimize mental effort to facilitate immediate recall. However, contemporary research suggests that this approach may lead to rapid forgetting. Instead, introducing moderate cognitive challenges—known as 'desirable difficulties'—forces students to process information more deeply, thereby ensuring that the resulting knowledge is more _______

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

  1. A
    superficial
  2. B
    fleeting
  3. durableAnswer
  4. D
    elementary

Answer

durable
The correct option is 'durable' because it means long-lasting or enduring. In the context of the passage, 'desirable difficulties' prevent 'rapid forgetting' by forcing students to process information more deeply, resulting in knowledge that is more stable and persistent over time.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the sentence containing the blank.
The sentence explains that introducing moderate cognitive challenges forces students to process information more deeply, which prevents 'rapid forgetting' and ensures a positive learning outcome for the resulting knowledge.
Understanding the context helps identify the contrast between quick but easily forgotten information and deeply processed, long-lasting knowledge.
2
Evaluate the choices to find the word that best describes knowledge that is long-lasting and resistant to forgetting.
The word 'durable' precisely matches this meaning, whereas the other options describe qualities that are either opposite to the context or irrelevant to the longevity of knowledge.
This step identifies the correct high-utility vocabulary word that is semantically and grammatically precise in context.

Key Concept

Selecting the most precise and contextually appropriate vocabulary word to complete a text.
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