, ms. shreve 's novel proved too difficult a text to ` lick , ' despite the efforts of a first-rate cast . 
(ROOT (S (, ,) (NP (NP (UH ms) (. .) (NNP shreve) (POS 's)) (NN novel)) (VP (VBD proved) (S (ADJP (ADJP (RB too) (JJ difficult)) (NP (NP (DT a) (NN text)) (SBAR (S (VP (TO to) (`` `) (VP (VB lick)))))) (, ,) ('' '))) (PP (IN despite) (NP (NP (DT the) (NNS efforts)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT a) (NML (JJ first) (HYPH -) (NN rate)) (NN cast)))))) (. .)))
(ROOT (S (, ) (NP (NP (UH ) (. ) (NNP ) (POS )) (NN )) (VP (VBD ) (S (ADJP (ADJP (RB ) (JJ )) (NP (NP (DT ) (NN )) (SBAR (S (VP (TO ) (`` ) (VP (VB )))))) (, ) ('' ))) (PP (IN ) (NP (NP (DT ) (NNS )) (PP (IN ) (NP (DT ) (NML (JJ ) (HYPH ) (NN )) (NN )))))) (. )))