In the early 17th century, most of the southern region of Vietnam was nearly uninhabited and in the position of Ho Chi Minh City, there was a small village formed with a few residents. However, thanks to its advantage in location, the town grew both economically and politically. By the 19thcentury, this had become a cultural hub of the South as well as an important trading center of the country. You might not know that there was a time Saigon was referred to as the Pearl of the Far East. Sadly, having been through various occurrences and two disastrous wars has stunted the city’s development. Only after the political instabilities had settled, Saigon recovered miraculously and maintained its leading position in terms of both the economics and culture. Officially named as Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon today has 22 districts in total and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. Question 28. What is the best title of the passage? A. Saigon: Lost and Found B. Saigon: Then and Now C. Saigon: Now and Then D. Saigon: Hub of the South East Vietnam Question 29. According to the passage, Saigon was in the early 17thcentury. A. a financial center B. an uninhabited region C. a small village D. an important city Question 30. What happened with Saigon in the 19th century? A.It became popular all over Asia. B.It became a cultural hub of the South and an important trading center of Vienam. C.It became the most important trading center in the world. D.It was no longer visited by international tourists. Question 31. The city’s development has been stunted because of . A.two disastrous wars B.some major historic events C.natural disasters and disastrous wars D.different occurrences and disastrous wars Question 32. The word “occurrences” is closest in meaning to . A. situations B. adventures C. incidents D. affairs