To complete his costume he wore a coat too long for him, dating back, if one might judge from its general appearance, to a remote antiquity the distant past the far-flung provinces an abandoned mansion an exotic, far-away place

The correct answer is A) The distant past.

Explanation:  

The words "remote antiquity" makes references to a distant past. The text also gives us some clues about that connection due to the fact that it shows the words "dating back", which have to do with past events.

is there an image you meant to add?

explanation:

the correct answer is   d. a picture depicting people applauding a country's leader.