What does "store a link to the prior knowledge structure" mean? Could you help me out?
Individuals need not always “create” a coherent knowledge structure. In many cases, they can rely on their prior knowledge to provide them with an already existing structure. Not surprisingly, this existing structure has a pronounced impact on storage and retrieval processes. If the incoming information is consistent with the prior knowledge, it is sufficient to store a link to the prior knowledge structure rather than to store the new information again. For example, when one of the party guests talks about having gone out for dinner, the listener does not need to store that the guest made reservations, that the waitress escorted them to the table, and that she brought the menu, etc. All this information is already part of the person’s general knowledge about “going out for dinner.”

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Store a link to the prior knowledge structure.

The author is saying that prior knowledge structure is information already saved in your brain (information that you dont need to process / think about) and that you don't need to store it.

(Prior means previous)

When you have a test, you need to study to store prior/current information or knowedge structure. While as

When some one tells you that they ate a sandwich, you don't need to store how they ate a sandwich (using their mouths ofcourse) because that information is already in store (in your head) you know how to do it.

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Need not is a fancy way of saying don't need.

From this paragraph we understand that there is "prior" knowledge structure and "coherent" knowledge structure.

Prior knowledge structure is when you don't need to remind yourself how to do things you already know how to do such as eating.

But for example if you're new to driving, you'll rely on your coherent knowledge structure as you have no prior knowledge structure or experience.

You're welcome!

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Or logical, needing to think.

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Let's say I tell you that I am going on a hunting trip this Saturday. You already have a small idea of what a hunting trip looks like, so you assume that I'm gonna take a big, off-road truck into the wilderness to shoot wild animals with a hunting rifle. That is storing a link to the prior knowledge structure, or in other words connecting to preconceived notions

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Let's say I tell you that I am going on a hunting trip this Saturday. You already have a small idea of what a hunting trip looks like, so you assume that I'm gonna take a big, off-road truck into the wilderness to shoot wild animals with a hunting rifle.