Meaning: The sun is shining on the town in the morning, making people wake up.
Choice of Words: The morning sun shines on the sleepy town, waking it up.
Alternative Expressions
The sun's warm rays gently awakened the slumbering town.
Meaning: This sentence also describes the sunrise, but it uses different words to emphasize the warmth and comfort of the sunlight.
Choice of Words: The word "rays" is used to describe the lines of light that come from the sun. "Warm" describes the sunlight as being comforting and inviting. "Slumbering" describes the town as being in a deep sleep.
As the first rays of dawn broke through the darkness, the town slowly stirred to life.
Meaning: This sentence describes the sunrise as a gradual process, where the darkness slowly gives way to light and the town gradually wakes up.
Choice of Words: The word "dawn" is used to describe the first light of day. "Broke through" describes the sunlight as breaking through the darkness, like breaking through a wall. "Stirred" describes the town as beginning to move and become active.