The correct answer is D. A sharp, loud noise
Step-by-step explanation:
The meaning of a word can be determined according to the context in which the word is. In the case of the word "report" in the excerpt presented, this word is used in "he heard, far off in the jungle, the faint report of a pistol", this means the word "report" refers to the sound of a shotgun that is described by the narrator as faint and that seems to originate in a remote distance. According to this, it can be inferred "report" means "a sharp, loud noise" rather than an account, inform or similar.