You are looking at the HTML representation of the XML format.
HTML is good for debugging, but is unsuitable for application use.
Specify the format parameter to change the output format.
To see the non HTML representation of the XML format, set format=xml.
See the complete documentation, or API help for more information. 
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<api>
  <query>
    <search>
      <p ns="0" title="Rock" snippet="...tential knockout power to even casual-looking open-handed swats. Gives new &lt;span class=&#039;searchmatch&#039;&gt;meaning&lt;/span&gt; to slapping someone silly.&#10;" size="14079" wordcount="2186" timestamp="2014-11-29T02:12:53Z" />
      <p ns="0" title="Minor Characters/NPCs" snippet="...verything she does. Despite being painfully irritating at times, he&#039;s well-&lt;span class=&#039;searchmatch&#039;&gt;meaning&lt;/span&gt; and very dutiful.&#10;" size="830" wordcount="130" timestamp="2011-02-25T21:45:10Z" />
      <p ns="0" title="Astrid" snippet="...have time to form friendships, despite being a more or less sweet and well-&lt;span class=&#039;searchmatch&#039;&gt;meaning&lt;/span&gt;, if a little bumbling, young squirrel.&#10;" size="4908" wordcount="790" timestamp="2011-07-21T07:52:31Z" />
      <p ns="0" title="Avatar" snippet="...pecially when she&#039;s in water — not as well on land). Also, she&#039;s a fish, &lt;span class=&#039;searchmatch&#039;&gt;meaning&lt;/span&gt; she can breathe underwater.&#10;" size="8363" wordcount="1376" timestamp="2012-07-26T22:04:11Z" />
    </search>
  </query>
</api>