In the following question, the sentence is given with a blank to be filled in with an appropriate word. Select the correct alternative out of the four and indicate it by selecting the appropriate option. Finding the comedy routine extremely funny, the family laughed _____________ along with the rest of the crowd.

Introduction / Context:
This question is a standard English sentence completion item that tests vocabulary and correct usage of adverbs. The sentence describes a family who finds a comedy routine extremely funny and therefore laughs in a certain way along with the rest of the crowd. The blank requires a word that fits both grammatically and logically. The key focus is selecting an adverb that describes how the family laughed, matching the tone of the sentence and the phrase extremely funny.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is the family, which is a singular collective noun treated as a unit.
• The predicate describes the family laughing along with the crowd.
• The family finds the comedy routine extremely funny, which suggests strong laughter.
• The blank comes directly after the verb laughed, where an adverb is expected to modify the manner of laughing.
• We want a grammatically correct and contextually appropriate adverb.

Concept / Approach:
In English grammar, verbs of action, such as laughed, can be modified by adverbs that describe how the action is performed. The structure laughed how requires an adverb, such as loudly, heartily, or hysterically. Nouns or adjectives without appropriate endings usually sound ungrammatical in this position. Additionally, the emotional intensity of extremely funny calls for a word that conveys strong reaction. Hysterically is a common collocation with laughed and matches the tone of intense amusement.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the required part of speech. After the verb laughed, we need an adverb of manner. Step 2: Examine each option. Lot is a noun and does not function as an adverb in this structure. Step 3: Hysterically is an adverb that describes laughing in an uncontrolled and very amused manner. Step 4: Crazy is an adjective and does not directly work as an adverb in standard English without the suffix ly. Step 5: Guffaw is a noun and also a verb, but not an adverb, so laughed guffaw is incorrect. Step 6: Oddly is an adverb but suggests strange behaviour rather than intense pleasure, and it does not naturally follow the idea of finding something extremely funny. Step 7: Therefore, hysterically is the only option that is both an adverb and semantically appropriate.

Verification / Alternative check:
Insert each option into the sentence and read it aloud. Finding the comedy routine extremely funny, the family laughed hysterically along with the rest of the crowd sounds natural and idiomatic. Using lot or crazy gives ungrammatical sentences. Guffaw would require a different structure, such as the family let out a guffaw. Oddly does not match the tone of enjoyment implied by extremely funny. This quick substitution test confirms that hysterically is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lot fails because it is a noun and so cannot modify the verb laughed directly in this construction. Crazy is an adjective and would need to appear before a noun, as in a crazy family, not after a verb to describe how they laughed. Guffaw is a noun or verb meaning a loud burst of laughter, but it does not work after laughed as an adverb of manner. Oddly is grammatically an adverb but it suggests strange behaviour, which conflicts with the context of cheerful amusement shared with the crowd.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake in such questions is to focus only on meaning and ignore grammatical form. Students may think that crazy or guffaw express strong emotion and therefore pick them without checking whether they are adverbs. Another pitfall is not paying attention to collocations. In English, certain verbs commonly pair with specific adverbs, and laughed hysterically is a widely used expression that native speakers recognise instantly. Remembering patterns of natural usage can greatly improve performance in sentence completion tasks.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is hysterically.