Final answer:
The author's use of the phrase 'millions of other situations' in the passage emphasizes the importance and long-lasting impact of the skills children learn from caring for a dog.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase 'millions of other situations' in the passage about children learning responsibility and compassion through caring for dogs creates the effect of making the author's claims seem more important because the skills children learn from caring for a dog can potentially last a lifetime. This phrase emphasizes the idea that the lessons learned from taking care of a dog can be applied to various other situations in life, highlighting the importance and long-lasting impact of these skills.