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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 162 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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 “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  2. 2.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) play helps us focus (b) I like lunch break (c) sport is popular (d) you never play sport
  3. 3.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  4. 4.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  5. 5.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) repeating your point (c) answering their point (d) thanking the judges
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  10. 10.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  11. 11.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the speaker (c) the judges (d) the argument
  12. 12.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  13. 13.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  14. 14.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it is wrong or say why it matters? (a) say why it is wrong (b) say why it matters
  15. 15.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) raise your voice (b) laugh at them (c) change the topic (d) state their point fairly
  16. 16.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) we can practise in class (b) I like football (c) you are a show-off (d) homework is boring
  17. 17.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  20. 20.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  24. 24.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  25. 25.🛡️ 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
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  32. 32.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you can’t grow plants (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) I love flowers (d) gardens are pretty
  33. 33.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  34. 34.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  35. 35.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  36. 36.🛡️ 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
  37. 37.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  38. 38.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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