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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 178 · 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 “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) repeating your point (c) answering their point (d) thanking the judges
  4. 4.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) state their point fairly (c) change the topic (d) raise your voice
  9. 9.🛡️ 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
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  12. 12.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  13. 13.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) you can’t grow plants (d) I love flowers
  14. 14.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) sport is popular (b) play helps us focus (c) I like lunch break (d) you never play sport
  15. 15.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  16. 16.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the judges (b) the audience (c) the speaker (d) the argument
  17. 17.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  21. 21.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.🛡️ 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
  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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  31. 31.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  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.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.🛡️ 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
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.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) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.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) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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