Which of the following is an example of personification?

The example that best illustrates personification is the phrase where the wind is described as "whispering" through the trees. Personification is a literary device that gives human qualities or actions to non-human entities or inanimate objects. In this case, attributing the ability to "whisper" to the wind suggests that it can communicate in a soft, gentle manner, which is a characteristic typically associated with humans. This vivid imagery helps readers connect emotionally with the natural world, making it more relatable and engaging.

In contrast, while the other options employ figurative language, they do not provide the same level of human attribution. For instance, saying the stars "twinkled" does not imply human actions; it simply describes a visual phenomenon. Describing the leaves as "dancing" conveys movement but does not suggest they possess human-like qualities in the same way. Although comparing someone's speed to "lightning" uses a simile to emphasize swiftness, it does not involve personification since it does not attribute human characteristics to non-human things.