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NCERT Solutions

Class 12

English Kaliedoscope

Chapter 5 Short Stories

NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English Kaliedoscope Chapter 5 One Centimetre - 2025-26

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English Kaliedoscope Class 12 Chapter 5 Questions and Answers - Free PDF Download

In NCERT Solutions Class 12 English Kaliedoscope Chapter 5 Short Stories, you’ll discover the touching story “One Centimetre” and learn about the complex bond between a mother and her son. This chapter really helps you understand how small actions can mean a lot and teaches you about values, honesty, and the little dilemmas we all face in daily life.

If you ever find some questions confusing, don’t worry! The NCERT Solutions provided by Vedantu guide you step by step, making sure you can answer all types of questions easily. You can also find the syllabus for Class 12 English to see what else you’ll learn during the year.

Download the free PDF for instant help and to get all your doubts cleared. Learning with these solutions will help you prepare smarter and write better answers in your CBSE exams!

Access NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English Kaliedoscope Chapter 5 - One Centimetre

1. What made Tao Ying decide whether to buy a ticket or not when she rode a bus alone?
Ans: When Tao Ying rides the bus alone, she usually does not pay for the ticket because she believes that her paying or not paying does not affect the bus's routine; however, she acts in accordance with the situation, paying for the ticket when the conductor appears responsible but not when he appears casual and careless.

2. Why did she insist on buying tickets both for herself and her son that day?
Ans: Xiao Ye insisted on buying a ticket for himself that day, but Tao Ying bought one for him as a symbol of sustaining his esteem, even though he didn't need one.

3. Were the old lady’s scales a reliable measure of height and weight? What convoluted logic were her measurements based on?
Ans: The scales on which the old lady measured her height and weight were unreliable. Because they were outdated and imprecise, they misrepresented the weight, and the lady had changed them to reflect more height. People want to picture themselves as thinner and taller, thus they were flattering to them, according to her thinking.

4. What was the conflict between the mother and son?
Ans: Xiao Ye believed Tao Ying only pretended he was short so she could avoid paying for his ticket, while in fact he was tall and distrusted his mother. As a result, the mother and son had a falling out.

5. Did Tao Ying really intend to cheat at the temple?
Ans: Tao Ying had no intention of cheating at the temple because she knew Xiao Ye was under a metre tall and hence did not need to purchase a ticket. He did, however, weigh more in the temple, which shocked her.

6. Why did Tao Ying change her intention to buy another ticket?
Ans: As the gathering grew larger and the ticket seller became agitated, Tao Ying realised she couldn't argue with a scale. She saw her son thinking negatively about her and decided to get a ticket.

1. How did Tao Ying's son influence the way she led her life?
Ans: Tao Ying, like her significant other, came from a low-income family and worked as a blue-collar worker. There was no surplus of money, but still, she led her life as an example for her son to follow. Her approach was gentle, and she changed how she leads her life so that her son Xiao Ye would respect her.

2. Pick out instances from the story to show that official rules are often arbitrary.
Ans: Summary: The story gives examples of how official rules can be unfair or not make sense.

The scales used at the entrance of temples are not correct, yet Tao Ying is humiliated and refused entry based on them.
On the bus, she’s told not to pay for tickets even when she wants to.
She’s asked if she wants to cash in her tickets on a private outing, which is clearly informal and outside usual rules.

3. Tao Ying was very careful about spending money. What were her reasons for refusing the compensation offered by the temple officials?
Ans: Summary: Tao Ying turned down compensation from the temple because she cared about her son's respect more than money.

She didn’t want her son to think she was unethical.
Her main goal was to prove to her son that she always tells the truth and does the right thing.
Money was not as important to her as clearing up the misunderstanding.

4. Why was her final vindication important to Tao Ying?
Ans: Summary: Tao Ying wanted to keep her son’s trust and show she was honest.

She bought the bus ticket to set an example even when not required.
The temple incident made her son doubt her honesty.
Vindication mattered because she wanted her son to believe his mother never lied.

1. The way a child looks at the world is very different from that of an adult.
Ans: Children learn from the examples set in front of them. They don't have the habit of looking for a beneficial angle in every situation. They look at people from a moral point of view, and the way people react towards certain situations affects them. They do not think about the circumstances of their actions but only what is right.

2. There is always a gap between what we are and what we wish to appear to be to others.
Ans: We always have an image of ourselves, the way we want society to view us. We often pretend to have certain attributes to be viewed as good people, even when we don't necessarily possess them. Hence, the image we show others is always different from what we are.

1. Comment on the significance of the first sentence of the story to its theme.
Ans: The first sentence shows how Tao Ying is not a believer of the world's ways as she knows that more often than not, they pretend to be someone they are not. Like what she does, she puts on a show for her son to make him abide by the rules and respect her for doing the same.

2. Would you describe the author's portrayal of Tao Ying's character in the story as sympathetic, critical, or realistic?
Ans: The narrator portrays Tao Ying as a realist, as she does not abide by the norms set by society. Instead, she chooses what's best for her and her family. Also, she makes sure to set an example for a son to grow up to be a man of values.

3. Identify the episodes that bring out the ambivalent attitude to ethics commonly seen in human life?
Ans: Summary: The story shows how people sometimes struggle with doing what is right.

Tao Ying pays for her son's ticket though not required, just to set an example.
The older woman adjusts her scales so people feel better about their height or weight, even if it’s untrue.
Both give examples of how personal motives can affect ethical choices.

4. How effectively does the narrative technique adopted in this story illustrate 'unity of thought'?
Ans: Summary: The story uses the unity of thought by showing characters act with a clear idea in mind, even if their decisions are different.

Characters act for their own benefit, sometimes bending rules.
These unified thoughts show they analyze each situation before acting.
It helps readers see their motives and reasoning as clear and connected.

A. Figures of Speech

a. Simile
Notice the underlined phrases in the following sentences
(i) As the doors shut her jacket is caught, ballooning up like a tent behind her. The comparison here is between the ballooning of the jacket and a tent made explicit by the use of the conjunction, ‘like’.
(ii) The white of the wall looks like a virgin canvas and Xiao Ye a painting filling up the space.
The comparison in (ii) is between the whiteness of the wall and a virgin canvas made explicit by the use of ‘like’. In the second ‘like’ is understood. Xiao Ye is like a painting…
Such explicit comparisons are called similes.
b. Metaphor
Sometimes comparisons are made by the application of words or phrases to a concept that they do not literally denote.
An example of this is
“But in order to melt the ice in her son’s eyes, she must do something.”
Here the ice stands for the coldness and distance in her son’s eyes and how she wishes to make him come closer to her.
The comparison of a mental attitude to ice is not explicitly emphasised but is understood. Similes and metaphors add to the richness of language and help to make the reader visualise more vividly the thoughts of the author.
TASK 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.
Ans: Some examples of simile are:
(i) When the bus conductor looked like the responsible type,
Here, his behaviour towards duty is compared with the behaviour of responsible people.
(ii) ballooning up like a tent
Jacket that was filled with looked similar to a tent
(iii) as a bundle of straw
Rough hair is compared with a bundle of straw
Some examples of metaphor are:
(i) an open fire
Here it means the oven
(ii) door to life
the infant’s soft part of the skull is compared with door to life
(iii) centre of the universe
Mother is considered the centre of the universe because she is everything for her

B. Pronunciation

Look at the word ‘object’
We can see that
(i) It is a two-syllable word: ob - ject
(ii) It can be used as both a noun and a verb.
Examples:
(i) Place the ‘object on the table. (noun)
(Pronounce ob as in bob)
(ii) I ob’ ject, your honour. (verb)
(Pronounce ob as in hub)
TASK The following words can be used as both a noun and a verb
(a) Where would the stress fall? Mark the stress when the word is used
(i) as a noun
Ans: Conduct: His /c/on/d/uct is good.
Protest: There is a /p/ro/t/est march tomorrow.
Permit: You must have a proper /p/er/m/it to go inside.
Progress: You must show your /p/rog/r/ess report to your parents.
Desert: Sahara /d/e/s/ert is the largest desert in the world.
(ii) as a verb
Conduct: He has /c/on/d/uc/t/ed a blood donated camp.
Protest: You should /p/ro/t/est against wrong things.
Permit: You are not /p/er/m/itted to go inside.
Progress: He /p/rog/r/essed in his life.
Desert: He /d/e/s/ert/ed us.
(b) Is there a change in the pronunciation of the first syllable? Form words that rhyme with the pronunciation of the first syllable, as in the example of ‘object’ given above.
Ans: No change happened in the pronunciation of the first syllable. The words that rhyme with the pronunciation of the first syllable are: Subject, Reject and Convict.
The stress and the way the word is pronounced change accordingly.
You will notice that, when used as a noun, the word carries the stress on the first syllable; when used as a verb, the stress is received on the second syllable.
Also, the way you pronounce the initial syllable would change.
conduct protest permitprogress desert

Lessons from 'One Centimetre' – one centimetre class 12 question answer Key Points

The chapter shows the everyday moral choices a mother faces for her child.
Official rules, like measuring height for tickets, can sometimes be unfair.
Tao Ying’s actions teach about honesty and keeping dignity, even in small matters.
Download the one centimetre class 12 question answer pdf for quick revision and reference.
The story highlights how children and adults can see a situation differently.

FAQs on NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English Kaliedoscope Chapter 5 One Centimetre - 2025-26

1. What is the correct way to structure an NCERT solution about Tao Ying's character in 'One Centimeter'?

To correctly structure an answer analysing Tao Ying's character, follow this method:

Introduction: Begin by identifying Tao Ying as the protagonist, a mother who grapples with maintaining her principles while raising her son.
Core Traits with Evidence: Dedicate separate points to her key traits. Discuss her principled nature, citing the temple incident. Explain her motherly love, using the bus ticket incident as an example. Mention her desire to be a perfect role model for her son, Xiao Ye.
Conclusion: Conclude by summarising her internal conflict between idealism and the practical demands of motherhood, highlighting how she ultimately prioritises moral integrity.

2. How should one approach solving NCERT questions that require a comparison between the bus and temple incidents in the story?

For a complete solution, you must contrast Tao Ying's actions and motivations in both scenarios. The correct approach is to highlight that while her actions seem contradictory, her underlying principle remains the same. In the bus incident, she buys an unnecessary ticket for her son's happiness, a personal choice. At the temple, she refuses to buy a ticket she is being wrongly forced to buy, taking a stand against institutional corruption. The solution should clearly state that the first act is about personal indulgence for her son, while the second is a public stand for moral integrity.

3. What essential points are needed for a complete NCERT answer explaining the significance of the title, 'One Centimeter'?

A high-scoring answer on the title's significance must cover both its literal and symbolic meanings. Your solution should include:

Literal Meaning: The 'one centimeter' literally refers to the tiny margin by which her son, Xiao Ye, is under the height requirement for a ticket, making the conflict at the temple seem trivial yet deeply significant.
Symbolic Meaning: Symbolically, it represents the fine line between right and wrong, the small compromises that can lead to a loss of integrity, and the seemingly insignificant principles that define one's character.

Mentioning both aspects is crucial for a comprehensive solution as per the CBSE 2025-26 syllabus expectations.

4. How can a student effectively justify Tao Ying’s contradictory behaviour in the NCERT exercise questions?

To justify her seemingly contradictory behaviour, the key is to focus on the context of her decisions. A correct solution would argue that her actions are not contradictory but are guided by a consistent moral compass applied to different situations. On the bus, her decision is a private one, impacting only her and her son. At the temple, she faces a corrupt system. Your answer should explain that she is willing to bend personal rules for her son's joy but refuses to bend to unjust authority, thereby teaching a silent lesson in integrity.

5. While framing an NCERT solution, what is a common mistake to avoid when describing Xiao Ye's understanding of his mother's actions?

A common mistake is to state that Xiao Ye simply misunderstands his mother. A more nuanced and accurate solution should specify that his perspective is shaped by a child's limited and literal understanding. He cannot grasp the abstract concepts of dignity and principle. Instead, he interprets her actions as being solely about saving money. The correct method is to explain that the gap in understanding is not due to a lack of love but a difference in cognitive and moral development, which is a central theme of the story.

6. Why is it important to refer to Tao Ying's socio-economic background when solving questions from Chapter 5?

Referring to her socio-economic background is crucial for adding depth to your answers. Her job as a baker of wheat bread establishes that she is not wealthy, which makes her choices more impactful. For instance, her willingness to spend money on the bus ticket highlights her love for her son, while her refusal to be extorted at the temple shows that her principles are more valuable than money. Including this context in your NCERT solution demonstrates a deeper understanding of her character's motivations beyond the surface-level events.

7. For a high-scoring answer, how can one use the concept of 'moral dilemma' to solve the value-based questions from this chapter?

To solve value-based questions effectively, you should frame Tao Ying's situation as a classic moral dilemma. This means she faces a conflict between two competing values: her desire to be a perfect, yielding mother versus her duty to uphold and teach integrity. Your answer should explain how her choices in the bus and temple incidents represent her attempts to navigate this dilemma. Using this framework allows you to analyse her character with greater depth and demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the story's central theme as required by the CBSE curriculum.