Function of Personification: Short Fiction Practice Test

Read the excerpt in which a woman walks through her garden at dusk after receiving an apology: “The day’s heat had finally loosened its grip, and the air cooled in slow, forgiving waves. She stepped between tomato plants heavy with fruit, brushing leaves that smelled sharp and green. A moth drifted past her shoulder like a small, careless thought. She replayed the apology in her mind, testing each word for sincerity. In the fading light, the shadows gathered to listen, pooling at the base of the fence as if they, too, wanted to know what she would do next.” What is the function of the personification in the bolded phrase?

Consider the following excerpt from a story about an exhausted nurse finishing a night shift: “Dawn pressed its pale thumb against the windows of the break room, smudging the dark. She sipped coffee that tasted like burnt patience. In the corridor, wheels squeaked, monitors chirped, doors sighed. She checked her phone—no new messages—and felt the weight of the hours settle into her bones. When she finally sat, the fluorescent lights scolded her with their steady glare, refusing to let her pretend it was still night.” What is the function of the personification in the bolded phrase?