Final answer:
Gulliver's attempt to pat a horse in Houyhnhnm Land is met with dislike according to Jonathan Swift's 'Gulliver's Travels', illustrating the rational Houyhnhnms' disdain for human physical familiarity. The correct answer is option (b) with dislike.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Gulliver attempts to pat the first horse he encounters in Houyhnhnm Land in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, the horse reacts with dislike. In this scene, the horse refuses the familiar gesture of a pat, not understanding or appreciating this human form of affection.
The horses in Houyhnhnm Land, known as Houyhnhnms, are rational, sentient creatures that exhibit a complex range of emotions and behaviors.
They are a stark contrast to the humans of this land, depicted as brute-like Yahoos. Gulliver's experience with the Houyhnhnm reflects Swift's satirical examination of human nature through the lens of these noble creatures, illustrating the horse's disdain for the human's attempt at physical familiarity. Thus, the correct option is B. with dislike.