During the hottest hours, things come to a virtual standstill, though the Caribbean siesta is an hour or two shorter than its Mediterranean counterpart.
( ( During ( the ( hottest hours ) ) ) ( , ( things ( ( ( ( come ( to ( a ( virtual standstill ) ) ) ) , ) ( though ( ( the ( Caribbean siesta ) ) ( is ( ( ( an ( ( hour or ) two ) ) shorter ) ( than ( its ( Mediterranean counterpart ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (PP (IN During) (NP (DT the) (JJS hottest) (NNS hours))) (, ,) (NP (NNS things)) (VP (VBP come) (PP (TO to) (NP (DT a) (JJ virtual) (NN standstill))) (, ,) (SBAR (IN though) (S (NP (DT the) (NNP Caribbean) (NN siesta)) (VP (VBZ is) (ADJP (ADJP (NP (QP (DT an) (NN hour) (CC or) (CD two))) (JJR shorter)) (PP (IN than) (NP (PRP$ its) (NNP Mediterranean) (NN counterpart)))))))) (. .)))
Things slowed down because there were not enough people to assist.
( Things ( ( ( slowed down ) ( because ( there ( ( were not ) ( enough ( people ( to assist ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNS Things)) (VP (VBD slowed) (PRT (RP down)) (SBAR (IN because) (S (NP (EX there)) (VP (VBD were) (RB not) (NP (JJ enough) (NNS people) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB assist))))))))) (. .)))