Which phrase is an example of personification?

Personification is a literary device where human traits are attributed to non-human entities or inanimate objects. In the phrase "The wind whispered secrets," the wind is given the human ability to whisper, which suggests not only sound but also the sharing of secrets, a distinctly human action. This depiction helps create a vivid image of the wind, making it feel alive and capable of communicating in a way that we, as humans, can relate to emotionally.

The other phrases do not convey this same sense of human attribution. For instance, "The stars twinkled in the night sky" describes a natural phenomenon without applying human characteristics. Similarly, while "The river babbled happily" suggests a lively sound, it doesn’t give the river a human action like speaking or communicating. "The children played in the park" simply describes an action of children with no personification involved. Each of these alternatives lacks the specific human-like quality presented in the correct answer.