The correct option is (a).
Explanation
The Earth is divided into distinct heat zones based on the angle of incidence of the sun's rays and the resulting distribution of temperature across different latitudes.Statement 1 is Correct: The Torrid Zone refers to the region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. In this zone, the mid-day sun is exactly overhead at least once a year on all latitudes. Consequently, this region receives the maximum amount of insolation and heat.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: The mid-day sun never shines exactly overhead on any latitude beyond the Tropic of Cancer ($23.5^\circ$ N) and the Tropic of Capricorn ($23.5^\circ$ S). In the Temperate and Frigid Zones, the angle of the sun's rays is always slanting and decreases towards the poles.
Statement 3 is Incorrect: The Torrid Zone is strictly bounded by the Tropic of Cancer ($23.5^\circ$ N) in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn ($23.5^\circ$ S) in the south. The region extending from the Tropics to the Arctic and Antarctic Circles constitutes the Temperate Zones, not the Torrid Zone.
Key Takeaway: The Torrid Zone is the inter-tropical region (between $23.5^\circ$ N and $23.5^\circ$ S) characterized by vertical solar rays and maximum heat, whereas regions beyond these latitudes never experience an overhead sun.