Answer:
The correct answer is: b. reduce the reader's shock or pain related to the bad news.
Step-by-step explanation:
Communication is a fundamental tool that promotes synergy for a company to achieve its objectives and goals. Through this process, it is possible to pass on essential information, integrate employees, strengthen the organization's reputation, promote a good relationship with the internal and external environment, etc.
However, many times companies also need to transmit some bad news, so it is important that there are resources and tools so that communication is carried out in a clear and effective manner without causing any type of situation that alarms the recipients of the message, therefore the buffer statement is used at the beginning of a letter or commercial communication to reduce the impact of bad news, helping to prepare the reader for what will be communicated, explaining the context of the message in a more neutral and not so alarming way.