Final answer:
After analyzing Chapter IV of Gulliver's Travels, the inference that the Lilliputians freed Gulliver hoping he might aid them in their conflict is best supported. There isn't sufficient evidence for options B, C, or D from the text. Option A is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Gulliver's Travels, particularly in Chapter IV, we delve deeper into the dynamics between Gulliver and the Lilliputians. The narrative here shows that Gulliver is treated with a degree of respect by the Lilliputians, and they seem to have an expectation that he would be useful in their military campaigns against their rivals, the Blefuscudians. This setting makes Option A the most scarcely validated regarding the Lilliputians' intentions, as there is no direct evidence that they freed Gulliver solely in hopes that he would fight for them. However, it is clear they are interested in utilizing Gulliver's size and strength to their advantage.
Option B implies that the Lilliputians are trying to rid themselves of Gulliver due to a shortage of food; however, the text does not provide sufficient evidence to support this inference. Instead, the Lilliputians seem to tend to Gulliver's needs despite their scale, even if it strains their resources.
Regarding Option C, while the narrative unfolds, there isn't an explicit indication of Gulliver becoming sympathetic towards the Blefuscudian cause over that of the Lilliputians. Similarly, Option D suggests that Gulliver is secretly refusing to fight for the Lilliputians. There are moments where Gulliver expresses his personal morals and reluctance to cause harm, which suggests a level of resistance, but this is not a secret refusal.
After considering the information presented in Chapter IV of Gulliver's Travels, the best-supported inference is Option A: the Lilliputians freed Gulliver in hopes he would fight for them. This is supported by the text, which continuously alludes to Gulliver's potential role in the Lilliputian conflicts, while also showing their interest in levering his great size and strength.