What is an example of personification?

Personification is a literary device that attributes human traits, emotions, or actions to non-human entities. In the chosen answer, the idea of a tree "dancing in the wind" illustrates personification because it suggests that the tree is exhibiting a human-like action — dancing. Trees do not literally dance, as that requires a level of movement and intentionality characteristic of humans. Instead, the description evokes an image of the tree's branches swaying and moving gracefully, akin to a dance, which adds vitality and emotion to the scene, drawing the reader's imagination into a more lively portrayal of the natural world.

The other choices describe actions that are typical of those animals or natural phenomena without imbuing them with human characteristics. For example, a cat meowing is a straightforward depiction of its behavior, and snakes slithering or birds chirping are simply descriptive of their natural actions, lacking the imaginative leap that personification requires.