Ask Questions to the Text: The key to convert yourself from a passive reader to an active one is simple. You must ask questions, and then you must try to answer them. Thinking can only express itself overtly in language. If I tell you, "Think about starvation," your thoughts probably consist of disconnected images of suffering you've seen on television. There's very little direction implied in that command. However, if I ask, "How could we prevent starvation?" Your brain probably will start whirring, generating lists, considering various approaches to dealing with the issue. Questions by their very nature generate thinking, provided that we take the time to try and answer them. So, as you read, ask "why did the author say that?" Or "What does this part mean?" Asking and answering questions forces you to read actively rather than passively. It forces you to think, and that's the point of critical reading.