Singapore is a country in Southeast Asia. It is an island near the end of the Malay peninsula. A peninsula is a piece of land that has water on three sides. Singapore is called a city-state. This means that it is an independent country that has only one city. Singapore is the name of the country and the city that take up the entire island. Because of its location, Singapore has become a critical business hub. Hub means center or key location. It is a good stopping point for ships that are traveling between Asia and Europe or Africa. When the trade was primarily done by ships, Singapore became a very important port. A port is a place where ships go in and out. This continues today. Singapore is the fifth largest port in the world! Being an important port, Singapore has also become a very important center for world business. This means that Singapore has a very strong and diverse economy, which sets it apart from many other Southeast Asian nations. 1. Where is Singapore? A. It is in West Asia. B. It is in South Asia. C. It is in East Asia. D. It is in Southeast Asia. 2. What does peninsula mean? A. It is a piece of land that has water on one side. B. It is a piece of land that has water on two sides. C. It is a piece of land that has water on three sides. D. It is a piece of land that has water on four sides. 3. Why is Singapore called a city-state? A. Because it is an island near the end of the Malay peninsula. B. Because it is a dependent country that takes up the entire island. C. Because it is an independent country that has only one city. D. Because it has become a critical (very important) business hub. 4. What does hub mean? A. It means center or key B. It means a place where ships go in and out. C. It means stopping point for ships. D. It means the largest port in the world 5. What is a port? A. It is a place where airplanes go in and out. B. It is a place where people go in and out. C. It is a place where cars go in and out. D. It is a place where ships go in and out. 6. When did Singapore become a very important port? A. When the economy in Singapore was very strong and diverse. B. When the trade in Singapore was primarily done by ships. C. When Singapore was the fifth largest port in the world. D. When Singapore was called a city-state.