Which inference is best supported by the following passage (page 8)? Never since I first laid my right hand to the sword and bore the shield on my left have I given this hell of the Danes to any man to keep. And now I give it in trust to thee. Do thou keep it as befits its grace. Be of good hope; be vallant, watch for the foe. A. The King doubts Beowifr ablity to defeat Grendel. B. The King is sad that he is unable to fight Grendel. C. The King trusts Beowulf to defeat Grendel. D. The King is hesitant to entrust the great hal to Beowit

To determine which inference is best supported by the passage, let's analyze the text step by step: 1. **Context**: The speaker is entrusting a significant responsibility (the "hell of the Danes") to Beowulf. This indicates a level of importance and seriousness in the task at hand. 2. **Key Phrases**: - "I give it in trust to thee": This shows that the speaker is placing trust in Beowulf. - "Do thou keep it as befits its grace": This implies that the speaker believes Beowulf is capable of handling this responsibility appropriately. - "Be of good hope; be valiant, watch for the foe": This encouragement suggests that the speaker has confidence in Beowulf's abilities and is motivating him to be brave. 3. **Inference Options**: - **A. The King doubts Beowulf's ability to defeat Grendel.** This is not supported, as the passage shows trust and encouragement. - **B. The King is sad that he is unable to fight Grendel.** The passage does not express sadness; it focuses on entrusting Beowulf. - **C. The King trusts Beowulf to defeat Grendel.** This is supported by the act of giving the responsibility to Beowulf and the encouragement provided. - **D. The King is hesitant to entrust the great hall to Beowulf.** The passage does not indicate hesitation; rather, it shows a clear act of trust. Based on this analysis, the best-supported inference is: **C. The King trusts Beowulf to defeat Grendel.**