Over his 65-year life span, Hughes

Over his 65-year life span, Hughes, one of America’s most enduring writers and a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s, will have published hundreds of poems, plus novels, short stories, autobiographies, librettos, essays and children’s books.


A.  will have published hundreds of poems, plus novels, short stories, autobiographies, librettos, essays and children’s books.
B.  is publishing hundreds of poems, plus novels, short stories, autobiographies, librettos, essays and children’s books.
C.  would have published hundreds of poems, plus novels, short stories, autobiographies, librettos, essays and children’s books.
D.  will publish hundreds of poems, plus novels, short stories, autobiographies, librettos, essays and children’s books.
E.  would publish hundreds of poems, plus novels, short stories, autobiographies, librettos, essays and children’s books.

The best answer is E. Choices A, B and D use tenses that can only be used for the living.  Hughes, the subject of the sentence, is deceased, as is evidenced by the sentence.  Choice C sets up a condition would have published... but the condition is then not specified.