I could never tell whether it was because the city, in the failing light, had grown a decibel quieter or because the children had grown louder, knowing that their time there was almost through.

我不知道是因为渐渐暗下来的城市的分贝降了下来还是因为孩子们的声音提高了，知道他们嬉戏的时间所剩不多。

youdao

It can pass legislation to take over failing local authorities, but in practice almost never does: home pride (and patronage) run deep, and race can become an issue.

ECONOMIST: Urban affairs