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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 149 · 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.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  2. 2.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) state their point fairly (c) raise your voice (d) change the topic
  3. 3.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  4. 4.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  5. 5.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  6. 6.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) thanking the judges (d) repeating your point
  7. 7.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  8. 8.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  10. 10.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it is wrong or give your evidence? (a) say why it is wrong (b) give your evidence
  11. 11.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) play helps us focus (c) you never play sport (d) sport is popular
  12. 12.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) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  15. 15.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) True (b) False
  16. 16.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🛡️ 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
  18. 18.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like football (b) we can practise in class (c) you are a show-off (d) homework is boring
  20. 20.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) seeds cost under ₹500 (b) I love flowers (c) gardens are pretty (d) you can’t grow plants
  21. 21.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  25. 25.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  26. 26.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.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) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  30. 30.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🛡️ 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
  33. 33.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  34. 34.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the judges (c) the argument (d) the speaker
  35. 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) True (b) False
  36. 36.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  37. 37.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  40. 40.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point

Answer key

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

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