Concept:An allusion is a brief, indirect reference to something familiar without naming it outright.
Explanation:In the passage, the station is called a "droning centre of the hive."
"Droning" suggests the continuous humming sound made by bees.
A "hive" is the home of a bee colony.
Together, these words describe the busy station as a crowded, buzzing beehive.
The writer never names bees directly; he only hints at them through these linked words.
Such an indirect reference is therefore an allusion.
It is not an anecdote, because no short personal story is told.
It is not an epigram, because there is no witty or sharp saying.
It is not an epitaph, because nothing is written in memory of the dead.
Answer:C. allusion