a mere excuse for the wan , thinly sketched story 
(ROOT (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ mere) (NN excuse)) (PP (IN for) (NP (DT the) (JJ wan) (, ,) (ADJP (RB thinly) (VBN sketched)) (NN story)))))
(ROOT (NP (NP (DT ) (JJ ) (NN )) (PP (IN ) (NP (DT ) (JJ ) (, ) (ADJP (RB ) (VBN )) (NN )))))