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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 127 · 40 questions
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Debater's tip (Their point, why it fails, your proof): Step 1: say their point fairly. Step 2: say why it is wrong or weak. Step 3: give your evidence. Step 4: say why it matters. A fair rebuttal answers the same point with a reason or a fact. Dodging (changing the subject) and attacking the person are not rebuttals.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “In our trial week, 32 of 40 students finished a book.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  3. 3.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  4. 4.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  5. 5.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  6. 6.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  7. 7.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  8. 8.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it is wrong or say their point? (a) say why it is wrong (b) say their point
  10. 10.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it is wrong? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it is wrong
  12. 12.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “In our trial week, 32 of 40 students finished a book.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  13. 13.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) you can’t grow plants (c) I love flowers (d) seeds cost under ₹500
  14. 14.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  15. 15.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) sport is popular (b) play helps us focus (c) I like lunch break (d) you never play sport
  18. 18.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the judges (b) the speaker (c) the audience (d) the argument
  19. 19.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  21. 21.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  23. 23.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) I like football (c) we can practise in class (d) homework is boring
  25. 25.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say why it is wrong? (a) say why it matters (b) say why it is wrong
  26. 26.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) change the topic (c) raise your voice (d) state their point fairly
  27. 27.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Two shorter breaks would give the same rest without losing touch with lessons.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  28. 28.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it is wrong? (a) say their point (b) say why it is wrong
  30. 30.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  31. 31.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  34. 34.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  35. 35.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) answering their point (b) thanking the judges (c) a personal attack (d) repeating your point
  36. 36.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Two shorter breaks would give the same rest without losing touch with lessons.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Two shorter breaks would give the same rest without losing touch with lessons.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

  1. True
  2. give your evidence
  3. dodges the point
  4. dodges the point
  5. say their point
  6. attacks the person
  7. say their point
  8. dodges the point
  9. say their point
  10. True
  11. say why it is wrong
  12. a fair rebuttal
  13. seeds cost under ₹500
  14. dodges the point
  15. True
  16. False
  17. play helps us focus
  18. the argument
  19. False
  20. a fair rebuttal
  21. False
  22. dodges the point
  23. False
  24. we can practise in class
  25. say why it is wrong
  26. state their point fairly
  27. a fair rebuttal
  28. True
  29. say their point
  30. give your evidence
  31. True
  32. True
  33. dodges the point
  34. a fair rebuttal
  35. answering their point
  36. False
  37. True
  38. True
  39. False
  40. False

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