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EnglishClass 12One Centimetre

One Centimetre | Class 12 English Notes

By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 4 min read

One Centimetre – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of One Centimetre from Class 12 English, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.

Tao Ying and Xiao Ye on the Bus

This section describes Tao Ying and her son Xiao Ye boarding a bus. Xiao Ye, despite being young, is very conscious about buying a ticket, emphasizing the importance of rituals and rules from a child’s perspective. The story highlights the height requirement for children to buy tickets, marked as 1.10 meters on the bus door. Tao Ying carefully measures her son’s height against this mark, noting he is one centimetre short. This small measurement becomes significant, symbolizing the boundary between childhood innocence and societal rules. Tao Ying’s gentle and nurturing nature is evident as she smooths Xiao Ye’s messy hair, reflecting her desire to be a perfect mother despite her modest background. The narrative also touches upon Tao Ying’s internal conflict between her practical instincts and her wish to set a good example for her son. The bus conductor’s impatience and the social environment add tension to this seemingly simple event, illustrating the challenges of everyday life and the pressures of conforming to rules.

📊 Diagram: The bus door with peeling paint shows a painted finger pointing to the height requirement, symbolizing the societal rule that governs ticket purchase.

🧪 Activity: No specific activity; encourages reflection on social rules and child psychology.

🔗 Connection: Prepares for the conflict at the temple entrance regarding ticket purchase and height measurement.

Frequently asked questions

1. How did Tao Ying's son influence the way she led her life? 2. Pick out instances from the story to show that official rules are often arbitrary. 3. Tao Ying was very careful about spending money. What were her reasons for refusing the compensation offered by the temple officials? 4. Why was her final vindication important to Tao Ying?

1. Tao Ying's son influenced her life by making her more cautious and protective. She became more aware of the world around her and the challenges they faced, especially regarding official rules and social attitudes. His presence and innocence motivated her to stand up for herself and seek justice.

2. Instances showing that official rules are often arbitrary include the officials measuring Xiao Ye's height with a metallic tape and drawing a line on the wall, which was challenged by Tao Ying as

Discuss the following in pairs or in small groups 1. The way a child looks at the world is very different from that of an adult. 2. There is always a gap between what we really are and what we wish to appear to be to others.

1. Children often see the world with innocence, curiosity, and simplicity, focusing on immediate experiences and emotions. Adults, however, tend to view the world with complexity, influenced by social norms, responsibilities, and past experiences.

2. The gap between our true selves and the image we project arises because of social expectations, fear of judgment, or desire for acceptance. This discrepancy can lead to misunderstandings and internal conflicts.

1. Comment on the significance of the first sentence of the story to its theme. 2. Would you describe the author's portrayal of Tao Ying's character in the story as sympathetic, critical or realistic? 3. Identify the episodes that bring out the ambivalent attitude to ethics commonly seen in human life? 4. How effectively does the narrative technique adopted in this story illustrate 'unity of thought'?

1. The first sentence sets the tone for the story, introducing the theme of memory and the lingering impact of past events on the characters' present lives.

2. The author's portrayal of Tao Ying is realistic, showing her strengths, vulnerabilities, and moral dilemmas without idealizing or criticizing her.

3. Episodes such as the officials' arbitrary measurement and their offer of money and tickets reveal the ambivalence in ethics, where rules conflict with human feelings and justice.

4. The n

Pick out examples of simile and metaphor from the story and state the two elements or concepts that are compared and the manner of comparison.

Examples of simile:

  • 'Her jacket is caught, ballooning up like a tent behind her.'

Comparison: The ballooning jacket is compared to a tent using 'like', making it a simile.

  • 'The white of the wall looks like a virgin canvas and Xiao Ye a painting filling up the space.'

Comparison: The whiteness of the wall is compared to a virgin canvas using 'like'.

Example of metaphor:

  • 'But in order to melt the ice in her son's eyes, she must do something.'

Comparison: The 'ice' metaphorically repre

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