In the proposed manual, the authors make an attempt to give the reader the basics of understanding and translating foreign literature, to show and substantiate the process of working on the text, to equip the reader with practical skills of independent work, primarily at its most difficult stage. The book is built on the material of English and German, and for the convenience of readers, each of these languages ​ ​ is considered separately. The book is designed for a wide range of readers.