You can't solve problems without knowing stuff. At least, unless you want to reinvent necessary background.

Yes, one can read without doing any critical thinking. But scientific and technical literature invite it. And indeed, require it for real comprehension. Good fiction, too.

A very narrow, specific kind of critical thinking comes from problem solving. Reading critically is a thing, and certainly part of being a well-rounded critical thinker.

> Reading is just consumption. You don't have to do any critical thinking

If that were true, you would believe anything and everything you read. I doubt that, barring Trump tweets, I will read a more ignorant statement all week.