( Fossils ( ( ( give us ) ( ( ( ( evidence ( about ( ( the ( ( plants and ) animals ) ) ( that ( lived ( long ago ) ) ) ) ) ) , ) and ) ( ( the nature ) ( of ( ( the environment ) ( at ( that time ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNS Fossils)) (VP (VBP give) (NP (PRP us)) (NP (NP (NP (NN evidence)) (PP (IN about) (NP (NP (DT the) (NNS plants) (CC and) (NNS animals)) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT that)) (S (VP (VBD lived) (ADVP (RB long) (RB ago)))))))) (, ,) (CC and) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN nature)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN environment)) (PP (IN at) (NP (DT that) (NN time)))))))) (. .)))
Fossils give us evidence about the plants and animals that lived long ago, and the nature of the environment at that time.
(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.