proved too difficult a text to ` lick , ' despite the efforts of a first-rate cast . 
(ROOT (S (VP (VBD proved) (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 (VP (VBD ) (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 )))))) (. )))