a text to ` lick , ' despite the efforts of a first-rate cast 
(ROOT (S (NP (DT a) (NN text)) (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 (DT ) (NN )) (VP (TO ) (`` ) (VP (VB )) (, ) ('' ) (PP (IN ) (NP (NP (DT ) (NNS )) (PP (IN ) (NP (DT ) (NML (JJ ) (HYPH ) (NN )) (NN ))))))))