Shadowing Practice: Michael Scott Being an Amazing Salesman | The Office U.S. | Comedy Bites - Learn English Speaking with Video

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236 sentences

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I thought we could start by going over the needs of the county.

Right.

Well, Lackawanna County has not been immune to the slow economic growth over the past five years.

So for us, the name of the game is budget reduction.

Awesome Blossom.

What?

I think we should share an Awesome Blossom.

What do you say?

They are awesome.

You want to, Christian?

Awesome?

Sure.

Okay, it's done.

Actually, Megan, may we have an Awesome Blossom, please?

Extra awesome.

Now it is done.

The first guy says, well, I'm an astronaut, so I drive a Saturn.

And the second guy says, well, I am a pimp, so I drive a cheap escort.

And the third guy says, I got you both beat.

I'm a proctologist, so I drive a brown probe.

Oh, no!

Oh, my God, that's funny!

I almost had awesome blossom coming out of my nose!

Can I have a vodka tonic, please?

Ah, that's delicious.

I love it.

We would probably be upset with ourselves if we went this whole night without talking business.

So Dunder Mifflin can provide a level of personal service to the county that the warehouse change just can't match.

Well, we are out to save money.

What's the bottom line?

That's why I wanted a signal between us so I wouldn't have to just shout nonsense words.

That's her fault.

Did somebody say baby back ribs?

Hmm?

I don't think Christian has time for that.

I have time.

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back.

Julie's baby back ribs.

Right down the street.

Mm -hmm.

Kenneth Rode, born and raised.

I spent my whole life right here in Lackawanna County and I do not intend on moving.

I know this place.

I know how many hospitals we have.

I know how many schools we have.

It's home, you know?

I know the challenge is this county's up against.

Here's the thing about those discount suppliers.

They don't care.

They come in, they undercut everything, and they run us out of business.

And then, once we're all gone, we jack up the prices.

I know.

It's terrible.

It is?

You know what?

It really is.

I don't know.

I guess I could give you guys our business, but you have to meet me halfway, okay?

Because they're expecting me to make cuts.

Well, corporate's gonna go ballistic, but you think we could, Jen?

First.

Come on.

Oh, nice try, Josh.

Hit the rim.

Okay, and...

Okay.

Double or nothing. On what?

We didn't bet anything, Michael.

Well, let's...

Yeah, we should go.

We gotta go.

Come on!

We'll do it.

Later.

Let's go.

Say, while I have you here, can I talk to you about some new and exciting advances to our product line?

Fine.

Jim and I have different definitions of friendship.

I think it's talking and being friends, and Jim thinks it's moving to Connecticut and being best friends with Josh.

Well, phooey on that.

I, uh, I'm done.

I am not going to be speaking with him anymore.

Whatevs.

Long -distance relationships never work.

That is so true.

Ready?

Mm -hmm.

Okay, let me tell you what we're looking for.

Sorry, my meeting ran late.

Really?

Yes, Jan, really, with the rep from Hammermill.

They're exclusive with Staples.

Used to be.

Evan will call you in the morning to work out the details.

We can now sell hammer mill products.

100

Yes!

101

Well, Michael, I just...

102

I underestimated you.

103

Yeah, well, maybe next time you will estimate me.

104

Michael, in order to expedite these negotiations, we are prepared to make you a very generous offer.

105

And we are prepared to reject that offer.

106

Michael, you haven't even heard?

107

We never accept their first offer.

108

What is your second offer?

109

$12 ,000. Are you kidding me?

110

That is insultingly low?

111

I don't even want to hear what your first offer was.

112

What do you hear?

113

Here's the situation.

114

Your company is four weeks old.

115

I know this business.

116

I know what suppliers are charging.

117

I know you can't be making very much money.

118

I don't know how your prices are so low, but I know it can't keep up that way.

119

I'm sure you're scared.

120

Probably in debt.

121

best offer you're gonna get.

122

I'll see your situation and I'll raise you a situation.

123

Your company is losing clients left and right.

124

You have a stockholder meeting coming up and you're going to have to explain to them why your most profitable branch

125

is bleeding so they may be looking for a little change in the cfo

126

so i don't think i need to wait out dunder mifflin

127

i think i just have to wait out you okay now i don't know

128

that i can get this i do have to go to the board for approval how's about sixty thousand dollars 60 ,000

129

Winkle We're gonna have to talk about Please take the room

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We are outside

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Take your time

132

Oh my god

133

Oh my god

134

We are so

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Good night, Pam.

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Good night.

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Hey, what time is it?

138

20 past 5.

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A .M or P .M.?

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P .M.

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Oh, good.

142

These came for you.

143

Contracts.

144

Brent Caselli.

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Oh, Caselli.

146

With the jello.

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This is a huge sale.

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Yes, right.

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Good.

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Night, Michael.

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Good night.

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So you're begging for mercy, huh?

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Well, you will find none here.

154

Dwight, do you mind if we talk?

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Sure.

156

That'd be fine.

157

If you keep coming after us, the Michael Scott Paper Company cannot succeed.

158

This is war, and that is what happens.

159

Oh, one more thing.

160

I'm going to have you listen while I steal your biggest client.

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Oh, no. No, no, no, no. Oh, wow.

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Michael!

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Michael!

164

Michael!

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Michael!

166

You can hear me, but I can't hear you.

167

Mr. Schofield's ready to see you now, Mr. Schofield.

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Scott, great.

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Mr. Schofield's ready to see me.

170

Thank you so much.

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Don't let him in.

172

He's a traitor.

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Michael.

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Michael, good to see you.

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Mr. Schofield, good to see you.

176

And I'm closing the door.

177

Ha -ha!

178

April 13, 2002.

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Dwight, I'm in a meeting.

180

That's very rude.

181

I barge because I care.

182

April 13, 2002.

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That is the date when you tried to switch paper providers for an obscure sociology textbook

184

but were hung out to dry when the price of glossy stock increased.

185

Maybe we should schedule a meeting on our...

186

Continuing.

187

Notice my persistence and recall.

188

Continuing.

189

You called Dunder Mifflin and your order was filled within an hour.

190

I'm going to pull a date out of the air right now.

191

April 13, 2002.

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That is the last day that you evaluated your paper needs.

193

Is it not?

194

We all know that the economy is bad and bloated companies like Dunder Mifflin are going to fall by the wayside.

195

Two of their branches have closed within the last year.

196

The Michael Scott Paper Company, however, has opened a new branch this very month.

197

What he's not telling you is that he will abandon you.

198

Why don't you guys just email me your best offers and we can finish it up that way.

199

That sounds like a great idea.

200

That sounds like a fantastic idea.

201

I will see you this weekend for the Penguins.

202

Box seats as usual.

203

Uh, okay.

204

Sure.

205

Good, good, good.

206

Thank you, Mr. Schofield, for your time.

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Much appreciated.

208

Oh, and tell me, um, how's your gay son?

209

Excuse me?

210

I color code all my info.

211

I wrote gay son in green.

212

Green means go, so I know to go ahead and shut up about it.

213

Orange means orange and glad you didn't bring it up.

214

Most colors mean don't say it.

215

How is, uh, Tom, the homosexual sophomore?

216

Well, Pam and I have eloped.

217

Actually, we just robbed a bank, and we are on the lam.

218

Seriously, I am on a lecture circuit.

219

Apparently, Scranton has the best sales of any regional branch, so David Wallace has asked me to go to all the branches,

220

except Nashua, still a little bit raw there.

221

But I'm going to these branches and I'm telling them my secret recipe for success.

222

My 11 business herbs and spices in a sales batter.

223

Oh wow.

224

Ah, legs are sort of up.

225

Long drive in the car.

226

So let's just continue.

227

Oh, wow.

228

Okay.

229

Michael, get off the floor.

230

Yeah.

231

Yeah.

232

I can't do this, Pam.

233

Just read the cards.

234

Oh, no, no. Michael, you have to do it.

235

Oh, no. I'm all right.

236

Okay.

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56 sentences

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “Michael Scott Being an Amazing Salesman”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Michael, baby, awesome, offer. This video has 236 sentences and 1431 words to shadow. The speech runs for 10:02. The speaker talks at a steady 143 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
blossom verb	/ˈblɑ.səm/	To have, or open into, blossoms; to bloom.
supplier noun	/səˈplaɪə/	One who supplies; a provider.
rib noun	/ɹɪb/	Any of a series of long curved bones occurring in 12 pairs in humans and other animals and extending from the spine to or toward the sternum.
circuit noun	/ˈsɝ.kɪt/	The act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle or orbit; a revolution
steal verb	/stiːl/	To take illegally, or without the owner's permission, something owned by someone else without intending to return it.
recall verb	/ɹɪˈkɔl/	To withdraw, retract (one's words etc.); to revoke (an order).
friendship noun	/ˈfɹɛn(d)ʃɪp/	The condition of being friends.
reduction noun	/ɹɪˈdʌk.ʃən/	The act, process, or result of reducing.
mill noun	/mɪl/	A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc. (Some are small and simple, and some are large and complex.)
discount noun	/ˈdɪskaʊnt/	A reduction in price.
rob verb	/ɹɑb/	To steal from, especially using force or violence.
delicious adjective	/dɪˈlɪ.ʃəs/	Pleasing to the sense of taste; tasty.
estimate noun	/ˈɛs.tɪ.mət/	A rough calculation or assessment of the value, size, or cost of something.
succeed verb	/səkˈsiːd/	To follow something in sequence or time.
mercy noun	/ˈmɝsi/	Relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
wait out verb		To wait through (something): wait (through) till the end; patiently endure.
come up verb		To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly.
get off verb		To move from being on top of (something) to not being on top of it.
go ahead verb	/ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/	To proceed with; to begin.
going over noun		An inspection, examination, review, or investigation.
keep up verb		To maintain; to preserve; to prevent from deteriorating or falling.
work out verb	/ˌwɝk ˈaʊt/	To calculate.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

What do you say?
Can I have a vodka tonic, please?
Michael, you haven't even heard?
What is your second offer?
Dwight, do you mind if we talk?

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	has not been · haven't even heard · have closed
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	were hung · was filled

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 47 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “sh” and “zh” sounds: friendship /ˈfɹɛn(d)ʃɪp/, reduction /ɹɪˈdʌk.ʃən/, delicious /dɪˈlɪ.ʃəs/, shout /ʃaʊt/, negotiation /nɪˌɡəʊ.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/
Long words — get the stress right: negotiation /nɪˌɡəʊ.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/, sociology /ˌsoʊsiˈɑləd͡ʒi/, homosexual /ˌhɒməʊˈsɛksjuːəl/, underestimate /ʌndɚˈɛs.tɪ.meɪt/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like blossom, supplier, rib.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: Michael Scott Being an Amazing Salesman | The Office U.S. | Comedy Bites - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?