What involves evaluating validity while reading and recognizing inferences?

The ability to evaluate validity while reading and recognizing inferences is deeply rooted in critical thinking. Critical thinking comprises various skills, including analyzing information, questioning its reliability, and drawing logical conclusions based on the evidence presented. When readers apply critical thinking, they do not passively absorb information; instead, they actively engage with the material by assessing its arguments, identifying biases, and making connections between different ideas. This active engagement allows them to discern the credibility of sources and recognize implied meanings, thereby enhancing their overall comprehension and critical analysis of the text.

In contrast, other options like passive reading involve a more superficial engagement with material, where the reader may not critically analyze or question the validity of what they are reading. Lateral reading refers to a technique used to verify information by checking multiple sources rather than evaluating the text itself. Skimming is a reading strategy focused on quickly grasping the main ideas without in-depth analysis, which does not fulfill the criteria of evaluating validity and making inferences as required by the question.