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Conflict of Interest

Conflict of Interest English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Jan 05 2010

Themes: Friend, Work

Grammar: Simple Future Tense

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Getting sued is pretty much one of the worst things that could happen to you. Getting lawyers involved to settle a problem is always a long, drawn-out process and really expensive. So naturally, when Marni finds out that Devan is going to sue her, she needs to talk to one of her friends.

Marni picks up the phone and dials Dale. After their short attempt at dating, they agreed to be friends, so she knows he’ll be there for her. But when she reaches him, she finds that he can’t help her, and most likely the rest of her friends can’t either. Find out why.

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Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Dale

Dale

Marni

Marni

Dale:  Hello.

Marni:  Hi Dale, it’s Marni. How are you?

Dale:  Hey, how you doin’?

Marni:  I’m in a little bit of a pickle here. I guess I need some friendly advice.

Dale:  Oh really, how can I help you?

Marni:  Well, it has to do with a certain employer of yours who is threatening legal action.

Dale:  Whoa. Oh, somebody is calling me on the other line. I gotta get goin’. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.

Marni:  OK. Bye. Well, I suppose it’s a conflict of interest. Who else do I know that I can talk to? Jason works for Devan. Everybody works for Devan. Everybody works for Devan! I need new friends. Where can I go get new friends? Bars? Eh, never reliable. I’m not really a religious person. Malls? Gosh, this is pathetic. Wait a minute. I run a company that is all about connecting people. I have a whole Internet, a whole virtual world of people that I can connect with. Why didn’t I ever think that I could do that for myself? It’s so easy. Oh my gosh. OK. So, I know how to do this. I am going to…I’m gonna find some new friends. That’s what I’m gonna do. This is gonna be great. Those guys, who needs them?

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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When Marni calls Dale, he’s happy to talk to her. But when she mentions that she wants to talk about how Devan is suing her, Dale quickly gets off the phone. At first Marni is hurt, but then she realizes it would be a conflict of interest for him to talk to her about that.

In fact, since all of her friends work for Devan’s company, none of them will be able to discuss this problem with her. She decides to use her international dating website to find some new friends.

Have you ever had to deal with a conflict of interest? What do you think is the best way to make new friends?

 

Comments

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kado0osha

kado0osha

Saudi Arabia

 very beautiful 

08:39 AM Dec 20 2010 |

maas2010

Yemen

hi

how are  u

 

05:21 AM Mar 20 2010 |

ericvane

Philippines

not all friends are helpful..so,you should have another resources to be able to solve your problem

07:43 PM Feb 17 2010 |

DE_CARVALLO

United Arab Emirates

yeah just like ebaby…meet new friends using internet

02:58 PM Feb 14 2010 |

Damian.

Damian.

China

hah 。

07:07 AM Feb 14 2010 |

malihong

malihong

China

Good friends will walk the road.The more friends you have the more help you will get as long as under the condition that the friends you make are the real friends who can share the weal and woe with you.

03:48 AM Feb 13 2010 |

handwriter

handwriter

Norway

I guess, I am missing what is being meant as having a "conflict of interest."  My understanding of what a conflict of interest is somewhat different – The following is what I believe to be an understanding of what a conflict of interest is.

In order to understand what a conflict of interest means, it may help to examine what is meant by 'interest'. Almost all of us have personal or professional interests, whether it be a hobby, an investment in a business or a desire to help our friends and family members succeed in their own interests. Sometimes we base our decisions on whether or not they will ultimately benefit one or more of these interests. Most of us would not face a conflict of interest situation because our hobbies rarely interfere or intersect with our professional responsibilities.

But people placed in positions of judgment or power – power of decision making -  must take extra steps to insure that their private interests do not compete with their professional duties. A conflict of interest may arise, for example, if a city councilman awards a lucrative contract to a company owned by his brother. It would not be illegal to award such a contract to the best qualified company, even if that company were indeed owned by a relative, but the councilman himself could not be part of the decision making process. There would be an obvious conflict of interest, because the councilman's own family would benefit financially from his position of power.

Definitions of conflict of interest are often spelled out in contracts or employee manuals. Enforcement of these agreements, however, is not always easy. Elected officials and judges usually fill out extensive disclosure forms which would reveal a potential conflict of interest, but private sector executives may not be so forthcoming. Oftentimes a conflict of interest may not be revealed until the decision has already been made or the contract has been approved. Revealing some personal interests may be more of an ethical responsibility than a legal obligation. 

Please forgive me if I am out of line here, having an interest in this conflict – or if I am creating a conflict with my interest in this subject of what a conflict of interest is. :)  I promise not to conflict your interest with my interest conflict.


03:56 AM Feb 02 2010 |

basmayara

United Arab Emirates

Hi

Nice video I liek it , really its nice interesting

Thank you

05:19 PM Feb 01 2010 |

Rakesh Kumar

India

We are Huaman being far different from animal in term of wishdom we have . our world is vast place with diffrent climate conditions and environment in which we live that is completeley different from one part of the world to other part of the world so are our interests that leads conflict of interest. because of having been living in one kind of conditon for long time one get used to it and when the one has to interect with the person of other country or the same country he belongs to find expremely hard to deal with only becase they are contrast to each other in thier interests.it is more mutual than explanatory.

09:15 AM Jan 29 2010 |

fatflower

fatflower

China

What Dale done is funny,his face emotion is just like Joey,who is the actor of "Friend'

04:31 AM Jan 28 2010 |

bbxxb

bbxxb

Iraq

all human beings conflict with other to interest but in friendship case i think it is shame and embarrasment thing ,conflict is the opposite meaning of friendship.

11:33 AM Jan 25 2010 |

shaopaul

China

from this conflict ,I have never had such a strong feeling that I am so selfish.I always try to love persons around me in my own way ,and what is more ,i am putting my own intrest in the first way ,I may regard my friends when i am located in my pursiing .

02:09 PM Jan 24 2010 |

queenlia

queenlia

China

if friends have nothing in comman ,it is difficult to be friends.even if they are together they wouldn't be happy . and i always believe that a friend inneed is a friend indeed/

01:59 PM Jan 22 2010 |

Amar pandey

India

we should not expect more from others. because it is not necessary that they can help in the way we want. they have their compulsions and confinements too. let it to themselves, how and at what extent they could help. we should also curtail the dependency as far as possible. It's really help us to keep ourselves cool. 

06:50 AM Jan 20 2010 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Humm sometimes conflits of interests are a trouble…It's as if we stayed in a middle of a firefight! I don't remember when I was in such situation,but I guess we have to think the best way for us,isn't it ;)

I'm a great person,I love to make new friends and I regard myself a outgoing and very receptive person to do new ones,but only true and sincere people will have my friendship ;)

11:34 AM Jan 18 2010 |

iwori

iwori

Japan

Me, too. I think which is the best way to make new friends except in Internet. Because from graduating from university and working, I have less chances to meet someone. I need stimulation from new friends.

And one of the way is to have lessons to learn something. There are many volunteer groups study and speak English to improve them, and I'm going to join it soon. I hope I meet wonderful friends! 

02:16 PM Jan 09 2010 |

mickee85

mickee85

Philippines

Well, it is too hard when you are in the middle of the two party having misunderstanding. It's better to tell your friend directly that you don't want to help than not unanswering and avoiding them.

10:55 AM Jan 08 2010 |

lililijiushiwo

China

A friend in need ,is a friend indeed.so i think ,if one of my friends need my help ,i will try my best to help them.

 

04:52 AM Jan 08 2010 |

Abeer Q

Abeer Q

Saudi Arabia

We all have a conflict of interest in our life , so we have to deal with that and we have also  to help the people who needs us , it doesn't matter if we work for the same person unless we are not wrong  . so I guess Dale was selfish when he decided to finish the call , Because friend in need is friend indeed

04:33 PM Jan 07 2010 |

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