( ( If ( ( ( the expansion ) ( of ( the universe ) ) ) ( is ( ( slowing down ) ( in time ) ) ) ) ) ( , ( ( ( then ( the ( expansion rate ) ) ) ( determined ( for ( very ( distant galaxies ) ) ) ) ) ( ( should ( be ( slower ( than ( for ( nearby galaxies ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (SBAR (IN If) (S (NP (NP (DT the) (NN expansion)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NN universe)))) (VP (VBZ is) (VP (VBG slowing) (PRT (RP down)) (PP (IN in) (NP (NN time))))))) (, ,) (NP (NP (RB then) (DT the) (NN expansion) (NN rate)) (VP (VBN determined) (PP (IN for) (NP (RB very) (JJ distant) (NNS galaxies))))) (VP (MD should) (VP (VB be) (ADJP (ADJP (JJR slower)) (PP (IN than) (PP (IN for) (NP (JJ nearby) (NNS galaxies))))))) (. .)))
If the expansion of the universe is slowing down in time, then the expansion rate determined for very distant galaxies should be slower than for nearby galaxies.
(ROOT (S (PP (JJ Due) (TO to) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN time)) (SBAR (S (NP (PRP it)) (VP (VBZ takes) (PP (IN for) (NP (NN light))) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB reach) (NP (PRP us)))))))))) (, ,) (NP (NP (NNS galaxies)) (PP (IN at) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN edge)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NN universe)))))) (VP (VBP are) (VP (VBG distant) (PP (IN in) (NP (NP (NNS terms)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN space) (CC and) (NN time))))))) (. .)))