Final answer:
The author includes details about Dr. Ueno's age to set up the story's situation and provide context for the narrative. Age details help place the character within a particular time and culture, affecting story dynamics and themes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question, 'In paragraphs 4 and 5, why does the author include details about Dr. Ueno's age?' is focused on understanding the purpose behind the author's choice to highlight the age of a character in a story. The inclusion of Dr. Ueno's age is a key to providing context and setting up the story's situation, rather than giving specific detail to the other options listed. Authors often use background information and set up details like age to help readers place the subject both in time and within their culture, thus making the narrative more relatable and grounded.
Providing the age of a character in a story is a common literary technique to establish the stage of life the character is in, which can influence their decisions and the events of the story. It can also provide a contrast to other characters, such as a pet, in this case, Hachiko, which may help in developing the relationship dynamics further. Moreover, age can be pivotal in highlighting the themes of a story, such as the wisdom that comes with age or the innocence of youth, thereby adding layers to the narrative.
In anecdotes and narratives, details such as these are comparable to how a service dog is trained - every piece of information serves a purpose in the overall development of the subject, similar to how a seeing eye dog is systematically trained for functionality and reliability. Establishing credibility and context through these details helps readers understand the characters or subjects better and provides depth to the storytelling.