[解析]
(1)细节理解题。根据第一段The formation of the fossils is a wonderful journey that unfolds over vast stretches of time,catching good views of the diversity of life that once lived on our planet.(化石的形成是一次奇妙的旅程,它在漫长的时间里展开,捕捉到了曾经生活在我们星球上的生命多样性的美好景象。)以及最后一段中The final step in the journey comes when geological processes expose the fossilized remains.Archaeologists then unearth these treasures,revealing the secrets of Earth's ancient inhabitants.This scientific exploration contributes to our understanding of evolution,biodiversity,and the ever﹣changing landscapes that have shaped the history of life on our planet. (旅程的最后一步是地质过程暴露出化石残骸。考古学家随后挖掘出这些宝藏,揭示了地球上古代居民的秘密。这项科学探索有助于我们理解进化、生物多样性以及塑造我们星球生命历史的不断变化的景观。)可知,化石可以帮助我们了解地球上的古代生物,进化以及古老的生物多样性。故选D项。
(2)细节理解题。根据第二段The journey often starts with the death of an organism in a specific environment.Whether it's a plant,animal or microscopic organisms,the key factor lies in whether the remains are quickly buried.This initial step is critical to protect the organism from its enemies and environmental factors that could lead to breakdown.(旅程往往始于一个生物体在特定环境中的死亡。无论是植物、动物还是微观生物,关键因素在于遗骸是否能迅速被埋葬。这一初始步骤对于保护生物体免受可能导致崩溃的敌人和环境因素的影响至关重要。)可知,在变成化石的过程中,第一步是要把动植物的遗骸迅速掩埋保存下来,这可以保护生物体不会受其敌人和环境等因素的影响而被破坏。故选C项。
(3)细节理解题。根据第五段Sometimes,fossilization goes beyond mineralization to a process called petrification.Petrified fossils occur when the organic material is entirely replaced by minerals,often resulting in a good copy of the original organism.This transformation can preserve complex details,such as the skeletal features of animals. (有时,石化作用超越了矿化作用,形成了一个称为石化作用的过程。石化化石发生在有机物质完全被矿物取代的情况下,通常会产生原始生物的良好复制品。这种转换可以保留复杂的细节,例如动物的骨骼特征。)可知,当矿物质代替有机物时,形成的化石更完好。故选A项。
(4)主旨大意题。本文第一段The formation of the fossils is a wonderful journey that unfolds over vast stretches of time,catching good views of the diversity of life that once lived on our planet.(化石的形成是一次奇妙的旅程,它在漫长的时间里展开,捕捉到了曾经生活在我们星球上的生命多样性的美好景象。)指出化石的形成是一次奇妙的旅程,在漫长的时间里展开,捕捉到了曾经生活在我们星球上的生命多样性的美好景象,此句起到引领下文的作用;下文主要介绍了化石的形成过程及所需要的条件和因素;由此可知,本文主要介绍化石的形成过程及所需要的条件和因素,B选项"石化的过程"能够概括文章大意。故选B项。