The Rocky Statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (CEFR Compare)

Apr 26, 2026, 12:09

The Rocky Statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Introduction

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has a new show. It is about the Rocky Balboa statue.

Main Body

The show looks at boxing in art. It shows how people fight hard to win. It has art from famous people like Andy Warhol. In the past, the museum did not like the statue. They wanted to move it away. Now, the museum likes the statue. Many people visit it every year. People from all over the world visit the statue. They come from France, Poland, and India. The statue makes them feel strong.

Conclusion

The show ends in August. Then, the museum will put the Rocky statue in a new place on the steps.

Vocabulary Learning

famous (adj.)

well-known / known by many people著名的；出名的

Example:Andy Warhol is a famous artist from the United States.

fight (v.)

battle / to use force to try to win or hurt someone戰鬥；打鬥

Example:The characters in the movie fight to save the world.

museum (n.)

gallery / a building where people can look at art or old things博物館；美術館

Example:The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

statue (n.)

figure / a model of a person or animal made of stone or metal雕像；塑像

Example:Many tourists take photos with the statue in the square.

strong (adj.)

powerful / having a lot of physical power強壯的；強大的

Example:Drinking milk helps your bones stay strong.

Sentence Learning

In the past, the museum did not like the statue.

Time Marker: The phrase "In the past" is used to talk about a time before now.時間標記: 「In the past」短語用於描述現在之前的時間。

They come from France, Poland, and India.

Connector: The word "and" connects the final item in a list of countries.連接詞: 「and」一詞連接國家列表中的最後一項。

People from all over the world visit the statue.

Prepositional Phrase: The phrase "from all over the world" describes the origin of the people.介詞短語: 「from all over the world」短語描述這些人的來源地。

Now, the museum likes the statue.

Time Marker: The word "Now" indicates the current time or situation.時間標記: 「Now」一詞表示現在的時間或情況。

The show ends in August.

Prepositional Phrase: The word "in" is a preposition used before a month to show time.介詞短語: 「in」是一個介詞，用於月份之前以表示時間。

Philadelphia Museum of Art Now Includes Rocky Balboa Statue in Official Exhibition

Introduction

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has opened a new exhibition called 'Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments.' This event marks a significant change in how the museum officially views the bronze statue of the fictional boxer Rocky Balboa.

Main Body

Curated by Paul Farber, the exhibition explores how a movie character became a cultural symbol by placing the statue within the context of art history and city identity. Louis Marchesano, the museum's deputy director, emphasized that the display looks at boxing images from the last 2,000 years to show how humans consistently respond to physical and emotional struggles. In the past, the museum had a difficult relationship with the statue. After the 'Rocky' movies were filmed, the institution actually tried to have the figure removed. Although the statue was moved to South Philadelphia and later returned to the museum steps in 2006, the museum did not officially support it because the city owns the land. However, data from the Philadelphia Visitor Center shows that the site attracts about 4 million visitors every year, which is a similar number to those who visit the Liberty Bell. The exhibition is divided into global and local themes. One section connects the character to the worldwide interest in boxing during the 1970s, featuring art by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring. Another section focuses on the local influence of Joe Frazier, who partly inspired the character. Furthermore, visitors from countries such as France, Poland, and India have claimed that the statue is a source of inspiration and a main reason for visiting the city, proving that the figure represents strength and endurance for people worldwide.

Conclusion

When the exhibition ends in August, the interior statue will be permanently placed at the top of the museum steps. Meanwhile, a statue of Joe Frazier will take the current place of the Balboa figure, which is still on loan from Sylvester Stallone.

Vocabulary Learning

emphasize (v.)

stress / to show that something is very important強調；著重

Example:The teacher wanted to emphasize the importance of checking your work before submission.

endurance (n.)

stamina / the ability to keep doing something difficult or painful for a long time忍耐力；持久力

Example:Running a marathon requires great physical and mental endurance.

institution (n.)

organization / a large and important organization, such as a university or museum機構；團體

Example:The university is a well-respected institution that has been around for over a century.

permanently (adv.)

forever / in a way that lasts for a very long time or forever永久地；長期地

Example:After many years of traveling, he decided to settle down permanently in Hong Kong.

significant (adj.)

important or noticeable顯著的；重要的

Example:The new policy led to a significant improvement in student performance.

Sentence Learning

Although the statue was moved to South Philadelphia and later returned to the museum steps in 2006, the museum did not officially support it because the city owns the land.

Contrast and Concession: 'Although' is used to introduce a contrast between the statue's physical return and the museum's lack of official recognition.對比與讓步: 「Although」（雖然）用於引導一個對比，指出儘管雕像已遷回博物館階梯，但館方因土地業權問題而未有正式承認其地位。

However, data from the Philadelphia Visitor Center shows that the site attracts about 4 million visitors every year, which is a similar number to those who visit the Liberty Bell.

Relative Clauses: 'Which' adds extra information about the total number of visitors, while 'who' defines the specific group of people.關係子句: 「Which」引導的子句為遊客人數提供了補充資訊，而「who」則界定了參觀自由鐘的特定人群。

After the 'Rocky' movies were filmed, the institution actually tried to have the figure removed.

Passive Voice and Causative Structure: 'Were filmed' uses the passive voice to focus on the action, while 'have the figure removed' shows the museum arranging for an action to be done by others.被動語態與使役結構: 「Were filmed」使用被動語態以強調動作本身，而「have the figure removed」則展示了博物館安排他人執行移除雕像的動作。

Furthermore, visitors from countries such as France, Poland, and India have claimed that the statue is a source of inspiration and a main reason for visiting the city, proving that the figure represents strength and endurance for people worldwide.

Present Participle for Result: The '-ing' phrase 'proving that...' is used to show a logical result or conclusion based on the previous statement.現在分詞表示結果: 以「-ing」形式開頭的短語「proving that...」用於表示基於前述事實所產生的邏輯結果或結論。

Louis Marchesano, the museum's deputy director, emphasized that the display looks at boxing images from the last 2,000 years to show how humans consistently respond to physical and emotional struggles.

Infinitive of Purpose: The phrase 'to show' explains the specific objective or reason for examining historical boxing images.不定式表示目的: 短語「to show」（為了展示）解釋了研究過去二千年拳擊圖像的具體目標或理由。

Philadelphia Museum of Art Integrates Rocky Balboa Statue into Curatorial Framework

Introduction

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has launched a new exhibition titled 'Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments,' marking a shift in the institution's official stance toward the bronze statue of the fictional boxer Rocky Balboa.

Main Body

The exhibition, curated by Paul Farber, analyzes the transition of a cinematic character into a cultural symbol by situating the statue within the broader context of art history and civic identity. According to Louis Marchesano, the museum's deputy director of curatorial affairs and conservation, the display examines boxing imagery spanning two millennia to illustrate a consistent human response to physical and internal struggle. Historically, the museum maintained a contentious relationship with the statue. Following the production of the 'Rocky' films, the institution sought the removal of the figure. Although the statue was relocated to South Philadelphia and subsequently returned to the museum steps in 2006, it remained outside the museum's formal endorsement, as the land is city-owned. Data from the Philadelphia Visitor Center indicates that the site attracts approximately 4 million annual visitors, a volume comparable to that of the Liberty Bell. Curatorial themes within the exhibition are divided into global and local perspectives. One section correlates the fictional character with the 1970s global interest in boxing, featuring works by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring. A separate section focuses on the local influence of Joe Frazier, whose life served as a partial inspiration for the character, and includes documentation of the Blue Horizon boxing gym. Stakeholder perspectives highlight the statue's international appeal. Visitors from France, Poland, and India have cited the figure as a source of inspiration and a primary motivation for visiting the city. These testimonials suggest the statue functions as a symbol of endurance and personal fortitude for a diverse global demographic.

Conclusion

Upon the exhibition's conclusion in August, the interior statue will be permanently installed at the top of the museum steps, while a statue of Joe Frazier will occupy the current position of the Balboa figure, which remains on loan from Sylvester Stallone.

Vocabulary Learning

contentious (adj.)

controversial / causing or likely to cause an argument; disputable具爭議性的；引起爭執的

Example:The decision to relocate the historic monument remains a contentious issue among city residents.

correlates (v.)

links / to show a mutual relationship or connection between two or more things使相互關聯；聯繫

Example:The study correlates high stress levels with a lack of sleep among university students.

curatorial (adj.)

collection-related / relating to the selection and organization of a museum or art gallery collection策展的；館藏管理的

Example:The museum's curatorial team spent years researching the historical significance of the artifacts.

fortitude (n.)

resilience / courage in pain or adversity; mental and emotional strength堅毅；剛毅；不屈不撓的精神

Example:The athlete demonstrated remarkable fortitude by completing the marathon despite a severe injury.

situating (v.)

contextualizing / placing something in a particular context or position to understand it better將…置於（特定背景或環境）；定位

Example:By situating the novel within the Victorian era, the professor helped students grasp its underlying social themes.

Sentence Learning

The exhibition, curated by Paul Farber, analyzes the transition of a cinematic character into a cultural symbol by situating the statue within the broader context of art history and civic identity.

Reduced Relative Clause: The past participle phrase 'curated by Paul Farber' functions as a reduced relative clause (which was curated by...), allowing for a more concise and sophisticated sentence structure typical of C2-level academic writing.縮略相對子句: 過去分詞短語 'curated by Paul Farber' 充當縮略相對子句（即 which was curated by...），使句式更為精煉老練，符合 C2 級別學術寫作的特徵。

According to Louis Marchesano, the museum's deputy director of curatorial affairs and conservation, the display examines boxing imagery spanning two millennia to illustrate a consistent human response to physical and internal struggle.

Present Participle as Post-modifier: The phrase 'spanning two millennia' acts as an adjectival modifier for 'imagery', creating high lexical density and demonstrating mastery over non-finite verb forms to provide temporal scope.現在分詞作後置修飾語: 短語 'spanning two millennia' 作為 'imagery' 的形容詞性修飾語，營造出高詞彙密度，並展示了對非限定動詞形式的掌握，用以提供時間跨度描述。

Although the statue was relocated to South Philadelphia and subsequently returned to the museum steps in 2006, it remained outside the museum's formal endorsement, as the land is city-owned.

Concessive Clause with Compound Passive: The use of 'Although' introduces a complex concession, while the compound passive structure 'was relocated... and returned' efficiently details a sequence of historical events.讓步從句與複合被動語態: 使用 'Although' 引導複雜的讓步從句，而複合被動結構 'was relocated... and returned' 則有效地詳述了一系列歷史事件。

One section correlates the fictional character with the 1970s global interest in boxing, featuring works by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring.

Supplementive Participle Clause: The use of 'featuring' creates a supplementive clause that adds descriptive detail to the main clause without the clunkiness of a coordinate conjunction, enhancing narrative flow.增補性分詞子句: 使用 'featuring' 創建了一個增補性子句，在不使用連詞而導致句式笨重的情況下，為母句增添描述性細節，從而提升敘述流暢度。

Non-restrictive Relative Clause with Temporal Prepositional Phrase: The sentence combines a formal temporal opening ('Upon...') with a non-restrictive relative clause ('which remains...') to manage multiple pieces of information and status updates simultaneously.非限定性相對子句與時間介詞短語: 本句結合了正式的時間開首語 ('Upon...') 與非限定性相對子句 ('which remains...')，以同時處理多項信息及狀態更新。