Context and Inference Breakdown:

• The question asks what the text "most strongly suggests" about the story. This means we need to make an *inference* – a conclusion based on evidence, not just a direct statement.
• The text emphasizes that the story is being told "not for [Hans's] sake... but for the sake of the story itself." This is a HUGE clue. The story is important *in itself*, regardless of Hans.
• The parenthetical aside "(for the reader will come to know him as a perfectly ordinary, if engaging young man)" tells us Hans is *not* special in himself. The word "ordinary" is key.
• The phrase "it should be noted that it is his story, and that not every story happens to everybody" uses italics for emphasis. This highlights the *uniqueness of the story*, not the uniqueness of Hans.
• The rest of the passage describes the story's age ("long ago," "patina of history," "deepest past"). This emphasizes the story's historical context.

The text suggests that it is Hans' story, and not every story happens to everybody. Hans' story is remarkable and worth telling, even though Hans himself is unremarkable.

Answer Choice Analysis:

• Though it is true that stories of even the most uninteresting people are themselves interesting because all people are unique, the reason this story is interesting is nonetheless difficult to understand because of the passage of time.
  This contradicts the text. The text says that Hans is "perfectly ordinary," implying he is not unique. Also, the text doesn't say the story is "difficult to understand."
• Even though it is a story of a person of no particular importance, its age and the manner in which it therefore must be told are both indicators that the story itself is important.
  This almost captures the main idea. Hans is "of no particular importance" (ordinary), but the story's age ("patina of history," "deepest past") and the manner of telling ("told with verbs whose tense is that of the deepest past") make the story itself important. However, the text also mentions that it is Hans' story, and not every story happens to everybody.
• Like all stories about the lives of inconsequential people, this story must necessarily be related in a particular way if the reason the story is consequential is to be made evident to the audience.
  This is too general and doesn't focus on the key elements of this story. The text doesn't say that all stories of inconsequential people must be told a certain way. It focuses on the specific reasons this story is important.
• It is a remarkable story that happened to an unremarkable person, though one could plausibly argue that because the story is valuable, some of its value accrues to the person at its center.
  This is the correct answer. The text suggests that it is Hans' story, and not every story happens to everybody. Hans' story is remarkable and worth telling, even though Hans himself is unremarkable.

The correct answer is (D).