Queen Victoria's old pants sold for thousands of pounds

A pair of pants that used to be owned by Queen Victoria have been snapped up at auction for thousands of pounds. A mystery bidder paid £9,735 for the large silk bloomers at an auction in Edinburgh.

The underpants were on sale with other Royal belongings, including a pair of the Queen's silk stockings, which sold for more than £5,000.

The sale included more than 500 royal paintings, letters, furniture and other items from the Forbes home. Two paintings owned by Queen Victoria, who was Britain's longest serving monarch, were also sold for more than £500,000 each.

All of the items were owned by a family called Forbes, who publish magazines in the US. The auction made more than £3m in total.


Vocabulary
Match each words to its definition
auction / bidder / bloomers / furniture / publish / stockings

someone who offers to pay a specific amount of money for something
public sale where things are sold to the person who offers the most money
large loose underwear worn below the waist by women
things such as chairs, tables, or beds
tight-fitting clothing made of thin material that women wear on their legs
make and sell books, newspapers or magazines

True or false?
1. The silk stockings sold for £9,375.
2. The sale was held in Edinburgh.
3. Everyone knew who bough the bloomers.
4. The underpants were the most expensive item in the sale.
5. One bidder paid £500,000 for two paintings.
6. Queen Victoria reigned longer than any other British king or queen.
7. The Forbes family publish books in the United States.
8. All of the items sold were owned by the Forbes family.

Which word or phrase means the same as the one in italics?

1. paintings
a) the same as brushes
b) the same as canvases
c) the same as pictures

2. snapped up
a) the same as torn
b) the same as stretched
c) the same as bought

3. mystery
a) the same as wealthy
b) the same as unknown
c) the same as public

4. belongings
a) the same as wanting
b) the same as belongs
c) the same as possessions



KEY

bidder
someone who offers to pay a specific amount of money for something
auction
public sale where things are sold to the person who offers the most money
bloomers
large loose underwear worn below the waist by women
furniture
things such as chairs, tables, or beds
stockings
tight-fitting clothing made of thin material that women wear on their legs
publish
make and sell books, newspapers or magazines

1. False
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. True

1. c) the same as pictures
2. c) the same as bought
3. b) the same as unknown
4. c) the same as possessions