The article analyzes translational reading in terms of translation studies, didactics of translation, personality- and activity-oriented, sociocultural and discursive approaches, which made it possible to identify specific features of this type of reading. For translators of scientific and technical texts, reading is an important work stage, constituting a more complex type of speech activity and having its own specific features that distinguish it from unprofessional reading. In terms of the competence approach, within the translator's professional competence, it is possible to identify receptive competence that allows perceiving and understanding the original text. This competence allows a translator to extract information from the text in the required volume and organize its adequate transfer to the target language. For this competence to be formed, translational reading should be taught to translators. Consideration of reading in terms of the personality-oriented approach to teaching is realized through a special organization of classes, training activities and tasks aimed at developing translational reading skills, which should contribute to the formation of the translator's professional competence. According to the activity-oriented approach, the receptive competence should be formed when solving problems facing the translator. For translation reading and understanding of a scientific or technical text, the characteristics of its author and recipient are also significant. In terms of the sociocultural approach, the author and the recipient can be viewed as social persons possessing their professional culture adopted in a certain scientific-technical sphere of their country. Translators of scientific and technical texts should understand and take into account these sociocultural features when creating a translation in the target language.