Each of the small circles in the figure has radius, r = 4. The innermost circle is tangent to the six circles that surround it,and each of those circles is

tangent to the large circle and to its small-circle neighbors. What is the area of the shaded region? \begin{array}{l|l}A & 96\pi\end{array} \begin{array}{l|l}\mathbf{B} & \mathbf{120}\pi \\ & \placeholder{⬚}\end{array} \begin{array}{|l|l|}\mathbf{C} & 48\pi \\ & \placeholder{⬚}\end{array} \text { D } 144 \pi \text{ E none of these}