1. Recall the directing and activating/deactivating effects in electrophilic aromatic substitution

   • Activating groups donate electron density to the benzene ring and generally direct incoming electrophiles to the ortho and para positions.
   • Deactivating groups withdraw electron density and are generally meta directors.
   • Exception: Halogens are deactivating but ortho/para directing.

2. Check each statement

   (A) $-\mathrm{OCH}_3$ and $-\mathrm{NHCOCH}_3$ are activating group.

   • $-\mathrm{OCH}_3$ donates electron density by resonance: activating.
   • $-\mathrm{NHCOCH}_3$ (acetamido) also donates by resonance from nitrogen lone pair: activating.

   Hence, (A) is correct.

   (B) $-\mathrm{CN}$ and $-\mathrm{OH}$ are meta directing group.

   • $-\mathrm{CN}$ is electron withdrawing, so it is meta directing.
   • But $-\mathrm{OH}$ is strongly activating and ortho/para directing, not meta directing.

   Hence, (B) is incorrect.

   (C) $-\mathrm{CN}$ and $-\mathrm{SO}_3\mathrm{H}$ are meta directing group.

   • $-\mathrm{CN}$ is a meta director.
   • $-\mathrm{SO}_3\mathrm{H}$ is strongly electron withdrawing and also meta directing.

   Hence, (C) is correct.

   (D) Activating groups act as ortho- and para-directing groups.

   • This is the standard rule for electrophilic aromatic substitution.

   Hence, (D) is correct.

   (E) Halides are activating groups.

   • Halogens are deactivating due to strong $-I$ effect, though they are ortho/para directing because of resonance.

   Hence, (E) is incorrect.

3. Collect correct statements

   Correct statements are: $(A), (C), (D)$

4. Match with options

   • Option A: $(A),(C)$ and $(D)$ only ✅
   • Option B: includes wrong statements $(B)$ and $(E)$ ❌
   • Option C: misses $(D)$ ❌
   • Option D: incomplete ❌

Therefore, the correct option is A.