Explanation:

We are given four coded statements: (I) 'pic vic nic' means 'winter is cold' (II) 'tic nic ric' means 'summer is hot' (III) 'ric pic bic' means 'winter and summer' (IV) 'vic hic pac' means 'nights are cold' \nTo find the code for 'cold', we look for statements that contain the word 'cold' and then identify the common code word among them. 'cold' appears in Statement (I) and Statement (IV): (I) 'pic vic nic' = 'winter is cold' (IV) 'vic hic pac' = 'nights are cold' \nThe code words in (I) are: pic, vic, nic.\nThe code words in (IV) are: vic, hic, pac. \nThe common code word between (I) and (IV) is 'vic'. Therefore, 'cold' is coded as 'vic'. \nLet's also deduce other codes for completeness: - Comparing (I) and (III) for 'winter': 'pic' is common. So, 'winter' = 'pic'. - Comparing (I) and (II) for 'is': 'nic' is common. So, 'is' = 'nic'. - From (II), if 'is' = 'nic', then 'tic ric' = 'summer hot'. - From (III), if 'winter' = 'pic', then 'ric bic' = 'and summer'. - Comparing 'tic ric' = 'summer hot' and 'ric bic' = 'and summer', the common code 'ric' corresponds to 'summer'. So, 'summer' = 'ric'. - From (II), if 'summer' = 'ric' and 'is' = 'nic', then 'hot' = 'tic'. - From (III), if 'winter' = 'pic' and 'summer' = 'ric', then 'and' = 'bic'. - From (IV), if 'cold' = 'vic', then 'hic pac' = 'nights'. \nOption (A) pic: 'pic' stands for 'winter'. Incorrect.\nOption (B) vic: 'vic' stands for 'cold'. This is the correct option.\nOption (C) nic: 'nic' stands for 'is'. Incorrect.\nOption (D) pac: 'pac' stands for part of 'nights'. Incorrect.