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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 153 · 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.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) you can’t grow plants (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) gardens are pretty
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  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.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  5. 5.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  6. 6.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  7. 7.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) state their point fairly (b) laugh at them (c) raise your voice (d) change the topic
  8. 8.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  9. 9.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) I like lunch break (c) play helps us focus (d) sport is popular
  10. 10.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.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) False (b) True
  12. 12.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) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  16. 16.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  17. 17.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) False (b) True
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.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) False (b) True
  20. 20.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  21. 21.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) we can practise in class (c) you are a show-off (d) I like football
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  26. 26.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) a personal attack (c) thanking the judges (d) answering their point
  29. 29.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  30. 30.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the judges (b) the argument (c) the speaker (d) the audience
  31. 31.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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  33. 33.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.🛡️ 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
  35. 35.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) False (b) True
  36. 36.🛡️ 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
  37. 37.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.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 dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters

Answer key

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

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