To read the data from a pen drive, the hardware required is a USB port. Let's break down the answer and explain it further:

1. USB Port:
A USB port is necessary to connect the pen drive to the computer. A USB port is a standard interface that allows devices to be connected and communicate with the computer. It is a small rectangular port that is commonly found on computers, laptops, and other electronic devices.

- A USB port provides power to the pen drive and enables data transfer between the pen drive and the computer.
- The USB port is versatile and supports various devices, including pen drives, external hard drives, keyboards, mice, printers, and many other peripherals.

The other options mentioned in the question are not relevant to reading data from a pen drive:

2. CD-ROM Drive:
- A CD-ROM drive is a device used to read CDs and DVDs, not pen drives. It uses a different type of media and technology, and it cannot directly read data from a pen drive.

3. Floppy Disk Drive:
- Floppy disk drives were used in the past to read floppy disks, which are now obsolete. Pen drives have replaced floppy disks due to their larger storage capacity and ease of use. Floppy disk drives cannot read pen drives.

4. DVD Player:
- A DVD player is designed to read DVDs and CDs, not pen drives. It uses a different type of media and technology, and it is not compatible with pen drives.

In conclusion, the hardware required to read data from a pen drive is a USB port. The USB port allows the pen drive to be connected to the computer, providing power and enabling data transfer.

Hardware required to read data from a pendrive:
- USB port: The most essential hardware requirement is a USB port. A pendrive is designed to connect to a computer or other compatible devices through a USB port to transfer data.
- CD-ROM drive: This is not a hardware requirement to read data from a pendrive. CD-ROM drives are used to read data from CDs or DVDs, not pendrives.
- Floppy disk drive: This is also not a hardware requirement for reading data from a pendrive. Floppy disk drives are outdated and not compatible with pendrives.
- DVD player: Similar to CD-ROM drives, DVD players are used for reading data from DVDs, not pendrives.
Therefore, the correct answer is C: USB port. A USB port is the primary hardware requirement to read data from a pendrive.