Correct option is C
The most appropriate option to substitute the highlighted segment in the given sentence is:
(c) No substitution required
The original sentence uses "ironical" correctly, which is an adjective form meaning "characterized by irony."
While "irony" (noun) and "ironically" (adverb) are also correct words, they would not fit grammatically in this context without restructuring the sentence.
Others Options:
· "Irony" (option b) is incorrect—the correct noun form is "irony," but the sentence requires an adjective here.
· "Ironicism" (option a) is not a standard English word.
· "Ironically" (option d) is an adverb and would require rephrasing (e.g., "Ironically, the students had to be punished...").
Thus, the original phrasing is correct, and
no substitution is required.