请教一道语法题

Selling several hundred thousand copies in six months, the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899was an instant hit, helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.
                

(A)    Selling several hundred thousand copies in six months, the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899 was an instant hit, helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

(B)    The publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899 was an instant hit: in six month they sold several hundred thousand copies and it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

(C)    Helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer was the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899, which was an instant hit: it sold several hundred thousand copies in six months.

(D)    “Maple Leaf Rag” was an instant hit: it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer, published in 1899 and selling several hundred thousand copies in six months.

(E)     Published in 1899, “Maple Leaf Rag” was an instant hit, selling several hundred thousand copies in six months: it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

选E，publish和sell不都应该用被动么？为什么是selling？

A. publication不能sell

B. they无指代

C. it指代publication，不能作sell的主语

D. 动作不平行，应该helped...was published...and sold...

于是答案只能E

卖出去多少本 sell XX copies, 没必要被动

个人意见

如果是sell XX copies 不用被动的话A不也能选了么？