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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 166 · 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 “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  5. 5.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) True (b) False
  6. 6.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the speaker (b) the judges (c) the argument (d) the audience
  7. 7.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.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) False (b) True
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.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) True (b) False
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.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
  14. 14.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) thanking the judges (c) repeating your point (d) answering their point
  15. 15.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) you can’t grow plants (d) gardens are pretty
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  20. 20.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) sport is popular (c) play helps us focus (d) you never play sport
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) you are a show-off (c) we can practise in class (d) I like football
  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 “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  27. 27.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  28. 28.🛡️ 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
  29. 29.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) 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  31. 31.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  33. 33.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.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) False (b) True
  35. 35.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  36. 36.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) False (b) True
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🛡️ 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
  40. 40.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point

Answer key

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

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