Summer

The United States is one of the most unequal countries in the developed world. People who aren’t wealthy have less chance of success and less chance for their children to succeed. When you talk about fixing these things, though, people freak out. Taxing the rich? Helping the poor? To many Americans, that smells like socialism.…

Welcome to Week Two of our 11th Annual Summer Reading Contest.This contest is open to students 13-19 from anywhere in the world. To participate, submit a response by 9 a.m. Eastern on June 26 that answers the questions “What got your attention in The Times this week? Why?”If you are 13 or older and live…

Two Words: Free LaborHousework can also become a form of play, and depending on how well or poorly your children do it, may be some help. In the 19th century, Hodgkinson said, “children were seen as not necessarily a burden on the household, but a welcome labor force.” Employ them.“The thing to remember is that…

Two Words: Free LaborHousework can also become a form of play, and depending on how well or poorly your children do it, may be some help. In the 19th century, Hodgkinson said, “children were seen as not necessarily a burden on the household, but a welcome labor force.” Employ them.“The thing to remember is that…

What was the song of the summer? In your opinion, what qualities does a song need to have to be a summer hit? Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to find out what one Times music critic thinks is the secret ingredient in songs of summer. Find many more ways to…

This summer has produced dramatic headlines about events both national and global. Here are 49 questions to help you remember what happened and learn more. Can you answer them all without looking at the word bank at the bottom of this post? We have also created this printable version of the quiz (PDF), as well…

Summer is just around the corner. Tell us how you would like to spend your time off from school, including the names of books, movies, television shows, albums, dance performances, plays and concerts you would like to check out. In the introduction to “A Season to Catch Up on Reading,” John Williams writes: Most years…

Before reading the article: What do you know about the language or languages spoken by your ancestors? Do you speak that language today? Do your parents or grandparents? Do you know any family stories about people learning a new language, perhaps when they arrived in a new country or region where another language was more…