( ( Fossils ( of ( animals ( , ( ( plants or ) protists ) ) ) ) ) ( ( occur ( in ( sedimentary rock ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (NNS Fossils)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NNS animals) (, ,) (NNS plants) (CC or) (NNS protists)))) (VP (VBP occur) (PP (IN in) (NP (JJ sedimentary) (NN rock)))) (. .)))
Fossils of animals, plants or protists occur in sedimentary rock.
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT The) (NN presence)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (DT an) (NN animal) (NN fossil)) (PP (IN in) (NP (DT a) (NN rock)))))) (VP (VBZ gives) (NP (NP (NN evidence)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NN time) (NN period)))) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN animal)) (VP (VBN lived) (PP (IN in))))) (. .)))
The presence of an animal fossil in a rock gives evidence of the time period the animal lived in.