With reference to famous twentieth century novels, which of the following statements about "Air", "Ulysses" and "The Great Gatsby" are correct?

Introduction / Context:
This question examines knowledge of modern novels and their authors through three statements about "Air", "Ulysses" and "The Great Gatsby". Candidates must confirm whether each pairing of book and writer is correct. Such questions are common in literature oriented general knowledge and require familiarity with both mainstream classics and award winning speculative fiction.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Statement 1: The author of the novel "Air" is Geoff Ryman.
• Statement 2: The author of the novel "Ulysses" is James Joyce.
• Statement 3: The author of the novel "The Great Gatsby" is F. Scott Fitzgerald.
• The task is to identify which statements are correct.

Concept / Approach:
The concept is the same as other statement based questions: treat each statement as a separate fact and verify it. "Air" is a science fiction novel by Geoff Ryman that has won awards. "Ulysses" is the groundbreaking modernist work by James Joyce. "The Great Gatsby" is the classic American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Since all three statements correctly identify authors, the correct option must include 1, 2 and 3 together.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Check statement 1: Geoff Ryman is recognized as the author of "Air", a speculative novel about the impact of a new global information technology on a rural community. This statement is correct. Step 2: Check statement 2: "Ulysses" is acknowledged worldwide as the key novel by Irish writer James Joyce, making statement 2 correct. Step 3: Check statement 3: "The Great Gatsby" is one of the best known works of American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, so statement 3 is also correct. Step 4: Since all three statements are correct, select the answer that includes 1, 2 and 3. Step 5: Among the options, only option D lists "1, 2 and 3". Step 6: Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done through basic literary knowledge. "Ulysses" and "The Great Gatsby" are staple texts in twentieth century literature courses, and their authors James Joyce and F. Scott Fitzgerald are universally associated with them. "Air" by Geoff Ryman appears in science fiction award lists and reading recommendations. The fact that all three pairings align with widely accepted information confirms that every statement is correct, removing any doubt about choosing option D.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, which includes only statements 1 and 2, incorrectly excludes the accurate statement 3, so it is wrong. Option B includes only 2 and 3, leaving out the correct statement about Geoff Ryman and "Air", so it is also wrong. Option C includes 1 and 3 but omits statement 2 even though James Joyce truly wrote "Ulysses", making that option incorrect. Only option D collects all three true statements and therefore matches reality.

Common Pitfalls:
Because "Air" is less famous than "Ulysses" and "The Great Gatsby", some candidates doubt statement 1 and assume that at least one statement must be false. Others distrust answer choices that include every statement, thinking that exam setters will rarely make everything correct. These are psychological traps. The best method is to test each statement independently, using whatever background knowledge is available, and not to second guess the pattern of the options. When each fact checks out, selecting the option with all three is the logical outcome.

Final Answer:
1, 2 and 3