in VOA Special English.Two of the world'sfavorite activities-- soccer and wordplay-- are in the news this week.On Sunday, the United Statesplays Japan for the women'sWorld Cup championship.The game is in Frankfurt, Germany.This is the Americans'first time in the finalin twelve years.They won against Chinain nineteen ninety-nineand against Norwayin nineteen ninety-one.That was the first yearof the women's World Cupin football, or whatAmericans call soccer.On Wednesday the United Statesdefeated France to reach the final.Striker Abby Wambachgave her team a two to one lead with a header off Lauren Cheney's corner kickin the seventy-ninth minute.Cheney had given the United Statesan early lead, but she toldESPN television that she creditsWambach for her efforts.LAUREN CHENEY: "Not only is sheat the right placeat the right time,but she has more heart thananybody that I've ever played with.And I know thatin the last minute,she's going to get it done."Alex Morgan added another goalin the eighty-second minute.At twenty-two,she is the youngest playeron the American team.Japan defeated Swedenin the other semifinal game.Host nation Germany,the two-time defending champion,lost to Japan in the quarterfinals.So that was newsfrom the playing field.Now to the wordplay.Commentators and bloggersoften use the word "gate"when a politician is accused oftrying to hide the truth.A recent example: "Weinergate."Congressman Anthony Weinerof New York denied,then later admitted,that he sent sexuallysuggestive messagesand pictures to women.He resigned in June.Next June will be forty yearssince the very first "gate."Watergate is the name of a groupof buildings in Washington.In June of nineteen seventy-two,police arrested five menwho broke into DemocraticParty offices there.Two Washington Post reporters,Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein,linked the break-in to the committeeto re-elect RepublicanPresident Richard Nixon.He resigned because of Watergate.Another place name is "Armageddon."The Christian Bible saysthere will be a final battle therebetween the forces of good and evilat the end of time. President Obama even used the termon Friday to describe proposalsto avoid a crisis over raisingthe government's borrowing limit.BARACK OBAMA: "It is constructiveto say that if Washington operatesas usual and can't get anything done,let's at least avert Armageddon."These days,people joke about eventslike "Snowmageddon,"the huge snowstorms that hitthe Washington area a year ago.Right now, officials in Los Angelesare warning driversto avoid "Carmageddon."Road work will close a majornorth-south link this weekend.The work is part of a projectto widen Interstate 405,also called the San Diego Freeway.The 405 will closefor sixteen kilometersbetween the city's Westsideand the San Fernando Valley.The closure is plannedfor fifty-three hours,until Monday morning at five.California transportation officialMike Miles told TV station KABCthat people normally try to avoidthe 405 anyway because of heavy traffic.MIKE MILES: "The biggest thingthat's going to help is if the publicstays away and stays home on this weekend.Most of the people go throughtheir lives trying to avoid the 405.This is the one weekendwe want to tell you,you really need to avoid the 405."But Carmageddon or not,local businesses are offeringspecial deals to keep peoplefrom staying homeand not spending money.That would be the biggestdisaster of all.And that's IN THE NEWSin VOA Special English.