ESL Podcast 328 – Dishonesty at Work

http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=4626812

Audio Index:
Slow dialog: 1:28
Explanations: 4:08
Fast dialog: 14:35

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Amina: Have you heard the latest news?

Shane: No, what is it?

Amina: Charlie was fired last Friday after the company found out that he had been cooking the books for over six months and had embezzled more than $50,000.

Shane: Charlie? I don't believe it! He is the most upstanding person I know. I can imagine him stretching the truth now and then, but he's the last person I would think of as being truly dishonest. I would never think to question his integrity.

Amina: It wasn't greed that made him do it. His wife has been ill and he couldn't pay the medical bills. I think he had the best of intentions in trying to get his wife the healthcare she needed, but it was only a matter of time before he got caught, no matter how well he covered his tracks.

Shane: Well, I know he's a bad liar and he's not known to make mistakes, so I'm not surprised that someone caught on pretty quickly when there were irregularities in the accounting. What I don't understand is, if he was having financial problems, why didn't he tell anybody? Some of us may have helped.

Amina: I don't know. Maybe he felt desperate and just didn't know what to do. I'm sure his wife being sick has been difficult for him. I don't think the company is going to press charges, though, under the circumstances.

Shane: I'm glad to hear that. That's the last thing he needs. It's clear that he showed poor judgment, but he's not a criminal.

Amina: That's the general consensus. I'm thinking of taking up a collection to help him out. Do you think the company would mind?

Shane: Considering he was fired, I'd keep it a secret from management, but I think it's a great idea.


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- to embezzle : to steal money from company where you work
- to stretch the truth : to tell a small lie, not a big one
- greed (n): a wanting to have more money,power
- it's only the matter of time (for good/bad thing) : it will happen eventually
- to cover your track : to hide sth wrong you had done
- to catch on : to find out the truth
- to press charge : to bring the issue to the court
- to take up a collection : to ask people to give money for a certain people or project


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Thanks,
Duy Lam