What type of text requires the reader to make inferences along with direct understanding?

Fiction texts often require readers to engage in inference-making as they interpret characters’ motives, emotional nuances, and underlying themes beyond what is directly stated. In fiction, authors frequently use subtext, symbolism, and indirect characterization, which necessitate that readers draw conclusions based on clues given throughout the narrative. This interpretive process allows for a deeper understanding of the text, encouraging readers to think critically about the motivations and emotions of characters, as well as the larger implications of the story's events.

In contrast, non-fiction texts typically present information with clarity and factual accuracy, focusing more on direct understanding rather than inference. Instruction manuals are designed to be straightforward and practical, providing specific instructions for tasks, where inference is generally not needed. Poetry, while it often invites interpretation and may require readers to make inferences, also includes imagery and emotions that can lead to multiple interpretations, depending on the reader's perspective. However, the primary genre that consistently combines both direct understanding and inference is fiction.