Which of these inferences is best supported by the passage below (paragraph 5)?

Question

Yet while he lives among us without laying too much stress on his official position, he is something quite different from the ordinary citizen. When a delegation comes to him with a request, he stands there like the wall of the world. Behind him is nothingness, one imagines hearing voices whispering in the background, but this is probably a delusion; after all, he represents the end of all things, at least for us. At these receptions he really was worth seeing.
Answer choices for the above question

A. The townspeople are resentful of the capital’s control over them.

B. The tax-collector’s family lives a privileged life.

C. The tax-collector lives an ordinary life and blends in with the people of the small town.

D. The tax-collector wields immense power in the town and causes fear among villagers.

Answer 1

The best-supported inference from the passage is:

D. The tax-collector wields immense power in the town and causes fear among villagers.

The passage describes the tax-collector as "something quite different from the ordinary citizen" and compares him to "the wall of the world," suggesting his significant authority and the weight of his position. The mention of "nothingness" behind him and the sense of him representing "the end of all things" implies that he instills a sense of fear or reverence in those who come to him with requests.