Explanation:

The simplest ||gms are ABFE, BCGF, CDHG, EFJI, FGKJ and GHLK. These are 6 in number.

The parallelograms composed of two components each are ACGE, BDHF, EGKI, FHLJ, ABJI, BCKJ and CDLK. Thus, there are 7 such parallelograms.

The parallelograms composed of three components each are ADHE and EHLI i.e. 2 in number.

The parallelograms composed of four components each are ACKI and BDLJ i.e. 2 in number

There is only one parallelogram composed of six components, namely ADLI.

Thus, there are 6 + 7 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 18 parallelograms in the figure.

Hence, option 2 is the correct answer.