She made a 'pitiful' attempt to complete her work.
a 'pitiful' [=very small] amount of money
a 'pitifully' small amount of money
(..) l wasn't the one in trouble. Kill the boy, kill the boy. Yes, master. Yes, master. So l go to kill my son. He was in the room, looking pitiful. And l can understand that because my mother sent me to the room many times. ''Your father comes home, he's going to shoot you in the face with a bazooka. (..)1983 Bill Cosby: Himself