Shadowing Practice: Michael's Pyramid Scheme - The Office US - Learn English Speaking with Video
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57 sentences
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1
So, Phil recruited me to sell these cards, and now I am recruiting you.
2
Who is this guy again?
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Don't worry about Phil.
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He drives a Corvette.
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He's doing just fine.
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Okay.
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Calling cards are the wave of the future.
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These things sell themselves.
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Who uses calling cards, anyway?
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You know what?
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That's a nice attitude, Ryan.
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I'm just helping you invest in your future, my friend.
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This sounds like a get -rich -quick scheme.
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Yes!
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Thank you!
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You will get -rich -quick.
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We all will!
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Didn't you lose a lot of money on that other investment, the one from the email?
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You know what, Toby?
20
When the son of the deposed king of Nigeria emails you directly asking for help, you help.
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His father ran the freaking country, okay?
22
All right, so raise your hand if you wanna get rich.
23
All right.
24
No, um, how is this not a pyramid scheme?
25
All right, let me explain again.
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Phil has recruited me and another guy.
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Now, we are getting three people each the more people that get involved, the more people who are investing, the more money we're all gonna make.
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It's not a pyramid scheme.
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It is a...
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It's not even a scheme, per se.
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It's...
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I have to go make a call.
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I'm not sure.
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I'm not sure.
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I'm not sure.
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I'm not sure.
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I'm not sure.
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I'm not sure.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Michael's Pyramid Scheme - The Office US”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: scheme, Phil, cards, rich. This video has 57 sentences and 289 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:38. The speaker talks at a natural 176 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| recruit verb | /ɹɪˈkɹut/ | To enroll or enlist new members or potential employees on behalf of an employer, organization, sports team, the military, etc. |
| invest verb | /ɪnˈvɛst/ | To spend money, time, or energy on something, especially for some benefit or purpose; used with in. |
| pyramid noun | /ˈpɪɹ.ə.mɪd/ | An ancient massive construction with a square or rectangular base and four triangular sides meeting in an apex, such as those built as tombs in Egypt or as… |
| depose verb | /diˈpoʊz/ | To put down; to lay down; to deposit; to lay aside; to put away. |
| scheme noun | /skiːm/ | A representation of the aspects of the celestial bodies for any moment or at a given event. |
| email noun | /ˈiˌmeɪl/ | A system for sending messages and datas by means of a computer network, primarily the Internet, using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and the Internet… |
| wave verb | /weɪv/ | To move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat loosely. |
| attitude noun | /ˈætɪˌtud/ | The position of the body or way of carrying oneself. |
| rich adjective | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ/ | Wealthy: having a lot of money and possessions. |
| quick adjective | /kwɪk/ | Moving with speed, rapidity or swiftness, or capable of doing so; rapid; fast. |
| sell verb | /sɛl/ | To transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money. |
| anyway adverb | /ˈɛniweɪ/ | Regardless; anyhow. |
| directly adverb | /dɪˈɹɛk(t).li/ | In a direct manner; in a straight line or course. |
| explain verb | /ɪkˈspleɪn/ | To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of. |
| investment noun | /ɪnˈvɛstmənt/ | The act of investing, or state of being invested. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 31 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, didn't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like recruit, invest, pyramid.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.