Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal
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.
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- 1.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
- 2.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) sport is popular (b) I like lunch break (c) you never play sport (d) play helps us focus
- 3.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
- 4.🛡️ 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
- 5.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
- 6.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) answering their point (b) a personal attack (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
- 7.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
- 8.🛡️ 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
- 9.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) I love flowers (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) you can’t grow plants
- 10.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
- 11.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
- 12.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
- 13.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
- 14.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) raise your voice (b) state their point fairly (c) change the topic (d) laugh at them
- 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
- 16.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
- 17.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
- 18.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
- 19.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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
- 20.🛡️ 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
- 21.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) I like football (c) homework is boring (d) we can practise in class
- 22.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
- 23.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
- 24.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
- 25.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the judges (c) the audience (d) the speaker
- 26.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
- 27.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) True (b) False
- 28.🛡️ 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
- 29.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
- 30.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
- 31.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
- 32.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
- 33.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
- 34.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
- 35.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
- 36.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
- 37.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
- 38.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
- 39.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
- 40.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
Answer key
- a fair rebuttal
- play helps us focus
- True
- a fair rebuttal
- attacks the person
- answering their point
- give your evidence
- say why it is wrong
- seeds cost under ₹500
- False
- False
- False
- False
- state their point fairly
- say their point
- attacks the person
- False
- True
- False
- dodges the point
- we can practise in class
- a fair rebuttal
- dodges the point
- say their point
- the argument
- give your evidence
- True
- say why it is wrong
- False
- dodges the point
- True
- attacks the person
- a fair rebuttal
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- dodges the point
- attacks the person
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