Objective well-being
Many countries and private institutions are interested in knowing the well-being of their member constituents. Higher levels of objective well-being are usually characterized by higher educational attainment, safe neighborhoods, as well as economic sufficiency and stability, for instance.
The simple predicate is may surprise
C. is the correct answer.
C is the only answer choice that refers to the future ("a sign, he said, a sign"). The rest of the answers refer to things happening in the present in the story, with almost no reference to the future of the plot.
Period goes inside the quotations and what is the question