Ho Chi Minh City, commonly known by its previous name Saigon, is the most populous and largest city of Vietnam. According to the 2019 census, Ho Chi Minh City has a population of over 8.9 million within city proper                     (1)   over 21 million within the metropolitan area.  Located in southeastern Vietnam, the city surrounds the Saigon River and covers about 2,061 square kilometers. Ho Chi Minh City is the economic and financial centre of Vietnam, and plays an    (2)   role in the country's culture and scientific developments. Prior to Vietnamese settlement in the 17th century, the city was a scarcely populated area. With the arrival of the Vietnamese, the area became more prosperous and officials began establishing the city from 1623 to 1698. After it was ceded by the last Vietnamese dynasty to the French in 1862, the name Saigon (3)      and the city underwent urbanization to become an important economic centre in the region. The city was the capital of South Vietnam until the end of the Vietnam War with North Vietnamese victory     (4) 1975. In 1976, the government of a unified Vietnam renamed Saigon to its current official name in honor of the communist leader Ho Chi Minh.

1. A. and                    B. therefore                C. so                          D. but

2. A. importance      B. important             C. importantly          D. unimportant

3. A. were adopted   B. is adopted             C. are adopted           D. was adopted

4. A. in                       B. by                          C. after                       D. before