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Debate Worksheet: Motions and Sides

Debate lesson 9: The motion, proposition and opposition · Set 868 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Debater's tip (Two sides, one motion): Motion: the statement being debated, often starting “This House believes…” or “This House would…”. Proposition: for the motion, speaks first, defines the key words, ends “I beg to propose”. Opposition: against it, answers the proposition, ends “I beg to oppose”. Good debate topics for students have two real sides; a plain fact is not debatable.

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  1. 1.📜 Which words often begin a debate motion? (a) “Once upon a time…” (b) “Breaking news…” (c) “Dear diary…” (d) “This House…”
  2. 2.⚖️ Which side must disprove the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
  3. 3.True or false: “This House would ban homework at weekends.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes ice is frozen water.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
  5. 5.Which of these is true of the proposition? (a) may test the definition (b) says “I beg to oppose” (c) answers the proposition (d) is for the motion
  6. 6.📜 The team that argues against the motion is called… (a) the judges (b) the proposition (c) the opposition (d) the audience
  7. 7.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes board games beat screen games.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
  8. 8.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes a triangle has three sides.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
  9. 9.📜 A good motion must have… (a) one right answer (b) a hidden answer (c) no clear meaning (d) two sides to argue
  10. 10.📜 What is a motion in a debate? (a) the topic statement (b) the winner’s prize (c) the last speech (d) the timekeeper
  11. 11.⚖️ Which side answers the proposition? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
  12. 12.⚖️ Which side may test the definition? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
  13. 13.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to oppose”? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
  14. 14.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must disprove the motion (b) speaks first (c) must prove the motion (d) says “I beg to propose”
  15. 15.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) is for the motion (c) says “I beg to propose” (d) is against the motion
  16. 16.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) must disprove the motion (b) is against the motion (c) must prove the motion (d) says “I beg to oppose”
  17. 17.⚖️ Which side is against the motion? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
  18. 18.True or false: “This House would ban homework at weekends.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: “This House believes spiders have eight legs.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) must prove the motion (b) is for the motion (c) defines the key words (d) is against the motion
  21. 21.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would make cooking a school subject.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
  22. 22.⚖️ Which side says “I beg to propose”? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
  23. 23.⚖️ Which side must prove the motion? (a) the proposition (b) the opposition
  24. 24.True or false: “This House would start school an hour later.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “This House would make homework optional.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: “This House would replace exams with projects.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “This House believes 2 + 2 = 4.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “This House would make homework optional.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.Which of these is true of the opposition? (a) defines the key words (b) speaks first (c) must prove the motion (d) must disprove the motion
  31. 31.True or false: “This House believes a cricket team has eleven players.” is not debatable — it is a plain fact. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes 2 + 2 = 4.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
  33. 33.⚖️ Which side speaks first? (a) the opposition (b) the proposition
  34. 34.True or false: “This House would replace exams with projects.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “This House believes 2 + 2 = 4.” is a debatable motion. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) speaks first (b) says “I beg to propose” (c) says “I beg to oppose” (d) must prove the motion
  37. 37.True or false: “This House would make cooking a school subject.” is a debatable motion. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House believes the Earth goes round the Sun.” (a) not debatable (b) debatable
  39. 39.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would replace exams with projects.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable
  40. 40.📜 Is this a debatable motion? “This House would give every class a pet.” (a) debatable (b) not debatable

Answer key

  1. “This House…”
  2. the opposition
  3. False
  4. not debatable
  5. is for the motion
  6. the opposition
  7. debatable
  8. not debatable
  9. two sides to argue
  10. the topic statement
  11. the opposition
  12. the opposition
  13. the opposition
  14. must disprove the motion
  15. is against the motion
  16. must prove the motion
  17. the opposition
  18. True
  19. True
  20. is against the motion
  21. debatable
  22. the proposition
  23. the proposition
  24. True
  25. False
  26. False
  27. False
  28. True
  29. True
  30. must disprove the motion
  31. True
  32. not debatable
  33. the proposition
  34. True
  35. False
  36. says “I beg to oppose”
  37. True
  38. not debatable
  39. debatable
  40. debatable

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