Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined words in the given sentence.

She's been beating around the bush all afternoon - I just wish she would come out and tell us what she really thinks.

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

SSC CHSL Exam 2023 Tier-I Official Paper (Held On: 14 Aug, 2023 Shift 2)

Answer 1

The correct answer is: "Avoiding to talk directly about a topic or issue."

Key Points

Beating around the bush is an idiom that means avoiding direct communication. (सीधे संवाद से परहेज)
- Example: During the meeting, instead of addressing the main issue, the manager kept beating around the bush, discussing unrelated topics and avoiding a direct response to our concerns.
"come out and tell us what she really thinks" implies a desire for straightforwardness.
Therefore, "avoiding to talk directly about a topic or issue" accurately conveys the meaning of the idiom and fits the context of the sentence.
Grammatically, the phrase "beating around the bush" is a gerund phrase acting as the subject of the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1.