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，围坐在一个木头盒子旁，听千里之外人说些无聊话。

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

在这样氛围中， 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愤怒，就像一场愚蠢篝火。

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 会把我当成一个萎缩、老式空缚。但是，就我生活而言，我无法在诸如可能吸引他或使他眼花缭乱回答中闪闪发光。