The correct answer is C. The cow was patted and touched by the old lady.
The sentence “The old lady touched and patted the cow” can be paraphrased as “The old lady made physical contact with the cow by touching her and patting her.” The cow is the recipient of the old lady’s actions, so it is the object of the sentence. The old lady is the agent of the sentence, so she is the subject.
Option A is incorrect because it states that the cow was the one who touched and patted the old lady. This is not supported by the sentence, which states that the old lady was the one who touched and patted the cow.
Option B is incorrect because it states that the cow was touched by the old lady patting her. This is a passive voice construction, which means that the cow is the subject of the sentence and the old lady is the object. However, the sentence states that the old lady was the one who touched and patted the cow, so the cow cannot be the subject of the sentence.
Option D is incorrect because it states that the patted cow touched the old lady. This is a nonsensical sentence, as it is impossible for a cow to touch someone after it has been patted.