Questions: In The Raven, which of the following inferences is most strongly supported by the passage below? On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er, But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er, She shall press, ah, nevermore! a) The narrator is not very intelligent, despite the fact that he is one of the wealthiest people in the country. b) The velvet cushion is so soft and comfortable that the narrator has started to dream. c) The raven is a reflection of the narrator's grief for his beloved. d) The narrator has mistaken the raven for his love, returned from the dead.

The answer is c) The raven is a reflection of the narrator's grief for his beloved.

This option is not supported by the passage. The passage does not provide any information about the narrator's intelligence or wealth.

This option is also not supported by the passage. The passage describes the cushion's velvet lining and the lamp-light, but it does not suggest that the narrator is dreaming because of the cushion's comfort.

This option is strongly supported by the passage. The repetition of "nevermore" and the description of the cushion that "she shall press, ah, nevermore" indicate the narrator's sorrow and longing for his lost beloved. The raven's presence and its repeated utterance of "nevermore" serve as a constant reminder of the narrator's grief.

This option is not supported by the passage. The passage does not suggest that the narrator believes the raven to be his love returned from the dead. Instead, the raven symbolizes the permanence of his loss and grief.