( ( As ( ( ( ( ( it ( rose ( to ( ( ( the earth ) & ) rsquo ) ) ) ) ; ) ( s surface ) ) and ) ( ( its pressure ) dropped ) ) ) ( , ( ( ( large amounts ) ( of ( carbon dioxide ) ) ) ( ( ( ( escaped ( into ( the atmosphere ) ) ) , ) ( ( much as ) ( when ( ( ( a can ) ( of ( carbonated beverage ) ) ) ( is opened ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (SBAR (IN As) (S (S (NP (PRP it)) (VP (VBD rose) (PP (TO to) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN earth)) (CC &) (NP (NN rsquo)))))) (: ;) (S (NP (PRP s)) (VP (VBP surface))) (CC and) (S (NP (PRP$ its) (NN pressure)) (VP (VBD dropped))))) (, ,) (NP (NP (JJ large) (NNS amounts)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN carbon) (NN dioxide)))) (VP (VBN escaped) (PP (IN into) (NP (DT the) (NN atmosphere))) (, ,) (ADVP (ADVP (RB much) (RB as)) (SBAR (WHADVP (WRB when)) (S (NP (NP (DT a) (NN can)) (PP (IN of) (NP (JJ carbonated) (NN beverage)))) (VP (VBZ is) (VP (VBN opened))))))) (. .)))
As it rose to the earth&rsquo;s surface and its pressure dropped, large amounts of carbon dioxide escaped into the atmosphere, much as when a can of carbonated beverage is opened.
(ROOT (S (PP (IN During) (NP (DT the) (JJ early) (NN paleozoic))) (, ,) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN amount)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (NN carbon) (NN dioxide)) (PP (IN in) (NP (DT the) (NN atmosphere)))))) (VP (VBD was) (ADJP (RB much) (JJR greater)) (PP (VBN compared) (PP (TO to) (NP (NN today))))) (. .)))