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The Breaking Point
The Breaking Point

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of The Breaking Point is here in full — 229 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.
His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.
He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.
Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.
Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Breaking Point

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of The Breaking Point is here in full — 229 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.
Line 2
His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.
/hɪz feɪs bɜːrnd frʌm ðə sʌn ənd hɪz hed eɪkt ˈvaɪələntli/
Line 3
He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.
/hiː wɑːz wiːk tuː frʌm ˈhʌŋɡər ənd ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋz ˈdɪzinəs pərˈsɪstɪd/
Line 4
Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.
/kəˈnektɪd θɔːt wɑːz ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl bɪˈɑːnd ðə fækt ðæt ɪf hiː dɪd nɑːt ɡet aʊt suːn hiː wʊd biː tuː wiːk tuː ˈtrævəl/
Line 5
Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

ached verb US /eɪkt/

past form of “ache” — feel physical pain

From this reading “His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.”

dizziness noun US /ˈdɪzinəs/

a reeling sensation; a feeling that you are about to fall

From this reading “He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.”

hunger noun US /ˈhʌŋɡər/

a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation

From this reading “He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.”

morning's noun US /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/

possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading “He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.”

persisted verb US /pərˈsɪstɪd/

past form of “persist” — continue to exist

From this reading “He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.”

twilight noun US /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading “When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.”

verge noun US /vɜːrdʒ/

a region marking a boundary

From this reading “Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.”

violently adverb US /ˈvaɪələntli/

in a violent manner

From this reading “His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.”

All words in this reading · 50

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

achedverbUS /eɪkt/

past form of “ache” — feel physical pain

From this reading His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

burnedadjectiveUS /bɜːrnd/

treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point

From this reading His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.

ConnectedadjectiveUS /kəˈnektɪd/

being joined in close association

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

disappearedverbUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrd/

past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

dizzinessnounUS /ˈdɪzinəs/

a reeling sensation; a feeling that you are about to fall

From this reading He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.

ExhaustedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd/

drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.

horsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

hungernounUS /ˈhʌŋɡər/

a physiological need for food; the consequence of food deprivation

From this reading He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

morning'snounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/

possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

persistedverbUS /pərˈsɪstɪd/

past form of “persist” — continue to exist

From this reading He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.

sunstrokenoun

sudden prostration due to exposure to the sun or excessive heat

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.

trailnounUS /treɪl/

a track or mark left by something that has passed

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

travelverbUS /ˈtrævəl/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

vergenounUS /vɜːrdʒ/

a region marking a boundary

From this reading Exhausted and on the verge of sunstroke, he set out on foot to find the trail.

violentlyadverbUS /ˈvaɪələntli/

in a violent manner

From this reading His face burned from the sun, and his head ached violently.

wakened

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

weakadjectiveUS /wiːk/

wanting in physical strength

From this reading He was weak, too, from hunger, and the morning's dizziness persisted.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When he wakened it was twilight, and the horse had disappeared.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Connected thought was impossible, beyond the fact that if he did not get out soon, he would be too weak to travel.

Chapter 27 of The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart holds 229 sentences, grouped into 46 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 27 of The Breaking Point contain?

Chapter 27 holds 229 sentences of The Breaking Point, unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 27 of The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 229 sentences, grouped into 46 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 27 of The Breaking Point?

Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 46 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 27 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 27 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Breaking Point

Common questions about reading The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Breaking Point?

Yes. All 9105 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1601 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Breaking Point is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1601, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Breaking Point take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1821 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Breaking Point section by section

How to work through The Breaking Point section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Breaking Point to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Breaking Point

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Breaking Point, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Heaven
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Breaking Point; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Earth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Breaking Point; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tenor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Breaking Point; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Henry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Breaking Point; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.