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Debate Worksheet: Timing Sums

Debate lesson 11: Debate timing · Set 250 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Debater's tip (Speakers × minutes + breaks): Total = speakers × minutes each + breaks × minutes each. Start of speaker k (no breaks) = (k − 1) × minutes each. Time each = (slot − judges’ time) ÷ speakers. POI time = speech minutes − 2 (first and last minute protected). Seconds ÷ 60 = minutes.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.🕒 A debate has 8 speakers who speak for 4 minutes each, plus 3 breaks of 1 minute. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  2. 2.🕒 What should you do when the final bell rings? (a) start a new point (b) finish your sentence (c) speak faster (d) ignore it
  3. 3.🕒 A debate has 4 speakers who speak for 2 minutes each, plus 3 breaks of 2 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  4. 4.🕒 A debate has 6 speakers who speak for 4 minutes each, plus 1 break of 1 minute. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  5. 5.🕒 How should you prepare a timed speech? (a) skip the ending (b) guess on the day (c) time it in practice (d) write it at the venue
  6. 6.✋ A speech is 3 minutes long. The first minute and the last minute are protected (no points of information). For how many minutes can points of information be offered?
  7. 7.🕒 Why does a debate have a timekeeper? (a) to judge content (b) to choose motions (c) to keep speeches fair (d) to ask questions
  8. 8.🕒 A speaker goes far over time. What usually happens? (a) they get a bonus (b) nothing at all (c) they win (d) they can lose marks
  9. 9.🕒 A debate slot is 28 minutes. The judges need 8 minutes at the end, and 4 speakers share the rest equally. How many minutes does each speaker get?
  10. 10.🕒 In a junior debate, each of 8 speakers speaks for 90 seconds. How many minutes is that in all?
  11. 11.🕒 Each speaker in a debate has 4 minutes, and there are no breaks. How many minutes after the start does the second speaker begin?
  12. 12.🕒 Each speaker in a debate has 5 minutes, and there are no breaks. How many minutes after the start does the third speaker begin?
  13. 13.🕒 In a junior debate, each of 4 speakers speaks for 30 seconds. How many minutes is that in all?
  14. 14.🕒 A debate has 8 speakers who speak for 5 minutes each, plus 3 breaks of 3 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  15. 15.🕒 A debate has 6 speakers who speak for 2 minutes each, plus 2 breaks of 1 minute. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  16. 16.🕒 A debate has 8 speakers who speak for 2 minutes each, plus 3 breaks of 3 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  17. 17.🕒 A debate slot is 22 minutes. The judges need 6 minutes at the end, and 4 speakers share the rest equally. How many minutes does each speaker get?
  18. 18.✋ A speech is 8 minutes long. The first minute and the last minute are protected (no points of information). For how many minutes can points of information be offered?
  19. 19.🕒 Each speaker in a debate has 4 minutes, and there are no breaks. How many minutes after the start does the fourth speaker begin?
  20. 20.✋ A speech is 5 minutes long. The first minute and the last minute are protected (no points of information). For how many minutes can points of information be offered?
  21. 21.🕒 A debate has 4 speakers who speak for 3 minutes each, plus 2 breaks of 3 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  22. 22.🕒 A debate has 6 speakers who speak for 3 minutes each, plus 1 break of 3 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  23. 23.🕒 Each speaker in a debate has 4 minutes, and there are no breaks. How many minutes after the start does the fifth speaker begin?
  24. 24.🕒 In a junior debate, each of 6 speakers speaks for 120 seconds. How many minutes is that in all?
  25. 25.🕒 A debate slot is 30 minutes. The judges need 6 minutes at the end, and 8 speakers share the rest equally. How many minutes does each speaker get?
  26. 26.🕒 In a junior debate, each of 8 speakers speaks for 30 seconds. How many minutes is that in all?
  27. 27.🕒 In a junior debate, each of 4 speakers speaks for 60 seconds. How many minutes is that in all?
  28. 28.✋ A speech is 6 minutes long. The first minute and the last minute are protected (no points of information). For how many minutes can points of information be offered?
  29. 29.🕒 A debate has 4 speakers who speak for 4 minutes each, plus 3 breaks of 2 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  30. 30.🕒 In a junior debate, each of 6 speakers speaks for 30 seconds. How many minutes is that in all?
  31. 31.🕒 A debate has 4 speakers who speak for 2 minutes each, plus 2 breaks of 1 minute. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  32. 32.🕒 Each speaker in a debate has 2 minutes, and there are no breaks. How many minutes after the start does the sixth speaker begin?
  33. 33.🕒 A debate slot is 22 minutes. The judges need 10 minutes at the end, and 4 speakers share the rest equally. How many minutes does each speaker get?
  34. 34.🕒 A debate slot is 41 minutes. The judges need 9 minutes at the end, and 8 speakers share the rest equally. How many minutes does each speaker get?
  35. 35.🕒 A debate slot is 16 minutes. The judges need 4 minutes at the end, and 4 speakers share the rest equally. How many minutes does each speaker get?
  36. 36.🕒 A debate has 4 speakers who speak for 4 minutes each, plus 2 breaks of 2 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  37. 37.🕒 A debate has 4 speakers who speak for 4 minutes each, plus 3 breaks of 3 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  38. 38.🕒 A debate has 8 speakers who speak for 3 minutes each, plus 2 breaks of 2 minutes. How many minutes does the debate take in all?
  39. 39.🕒 A debate slot is 23 minutes. The judges need 5 minutes at the end, and 6 speakers share the rest equally. How many minutes does each speaker get?
  40. 40.🕒 Each speaker in a debate has 2 minutes, and there are no breaks. How many minutes after the start does the second speaker begin?

Answer key

  1. 35
  2. finish your sentence
  3. 14
  4. 25
  5. time it in practice
  6. 1
  7. to keep speeches fair
  8. they can lose marks
  9. 5
  10. 12
  11. 4
  12. 10
  13. 2
  14. 49
  15. 14
  16. 25
  17. 4
  18. 6
  19. 12
  20. 3
  21. 18
  22. 21
  23. 16
  24. 12
  25. 3
  26. 4
  27. 4
  28. 4
  29. 22
  30. 3
  31. 10
  32. 10
  33. 3
  34. 4
  35. 3
  36. 20
  37. 25
  38. 28
  39. 3
  40. 2

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