That people waste hours huddled around a wooden box listening to someone talking at them burbling inanities from somewhere else.

虚度大好光阴，围坐在个木头盒子旁，听千里之外的人聊的话。

In such an atmosphere it is possible to be serious without pompousness and flippant without inanity.

在这样的氛围中， 可以严肃而浮夸， 轻率而空虚。

And he was going to vent his aggravation by burning that document, a bonfire of the inanities.

他打算通过焚烧这份文件来发泄他的愤怒，场愚蠢的篝火。

I was in terror lest Sandip Babu should take me for a shrinking, old-fashioned bundle of inanity. But, for the life of me, I could not sparkle in repartees such as might charm or dazzle him.

我很害怕 Sandip Babu 会把我当成个萎缩的、老式的空洞的束缚。但是，我的生活而言，我法在诸如可能吸引他或使他眼花缭乱的回答中闪闪发光。