ESL Podcast 328 – Dishonesty at Work

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 embezzled¹ 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 integrity².

Amina: It wasn’t greed³ 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 liar⁴ 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 accounting⁵. 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 judgment⁶, but he’s not a criminal.

Amina: That’s the general consensus⁷. 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.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 embezzled   

v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The clerk embezzled a thousand pounds from the bank where he worked. 那个职员在他工作的银行里贪污了一千英镑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cashier embezzled ＄ 50,000 from the bank. 出纳员盗用了银行5万美元。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 integrity   

n.正直，诚实，诚恳，完整，完全，完善

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• He is a man of the highest integrity.他是个极其正直的人。

3 greed   

n.贪食，贪心，贪婪

参考例句：

• His greed knows no limits.他的贪心永无止境。
• Greed was his only motive for stealing.贪婪是他盗窃的唯一动机。

4 liar   

n.说谎的人

参考例句：

• I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！
• She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

5 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

6 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

7 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？