believe it or not, literacy is a skill. many has it and many more doesn't. not to mention, humour is difficult. so, never set you expectation too high.

literacy is easy. I read word, make sound.

common sense, credulity, and being able to place things in contexts, esp. ones you might not know, is also a skill, and arguably what this person was missing.

Like she was able to email and negotiate with the undercovers, she clearly had basic literacy.

Literacy is an effort.