Step 1: Understanding the idiom.
"Beat around the bush" means to avoid dealing with the main issue or topic, often by talking about irrelevant matters.
Step 2: Explanation of the expression.
Historically, the phrase comes from hunting practices, where people would beat around bushes to flush out game instead of going straight to the task at hand.
Step 3: Conclusion.
Thus, "beat around the bush" means to avoid the main issue, making option (1) correct.