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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 169 · 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.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) sport is popular (c) play helps us focus (d) I like lunch break
  4. 4.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) gardens are pretty (c) you can’t grow plants (d) seeds cost under ₹500
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  7. 7.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  8. 8.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  11. 11.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) raise your voice (b) laugh at them (c) state their point fairly (d) change the topic
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) answering their point (c) thanking the judges (d) a personal attack
  14. 14.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) I like football (c) we can practise in class (d) you are a show-off
  15. 15.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  17. 17.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  24. 24.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) True (b) False
  25. 25.🛡️ 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
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.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) False (b) True
  28. 28.🛡️ 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
  29. 29.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.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) False (b) True
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  35. 35.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point

Answer key

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

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