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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 194 · 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 “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  2. 2.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  3. 3.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  4. 4.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) we can practise in class (c) homework is boring (d) I like football
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  10. 10.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) False (b) True
  11. 11.🛡️ 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
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.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) False (b) True
  14. 14.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) False (b) True
  15. 15.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) sport is popular (b) I like lunch break (c) you never play sport (d) play helps us focus
  16. 16.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  17. 17.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  22. 22.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  23. 23.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) True (b) False
  24. 24.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) True (b) False
  25. 25.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  28. 28.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  30. 30.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  32. 32.🛡️ 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
  33. 33.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  34. 34.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) repeating your point (c) thanking the judges (d) answering their point
  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.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) gardens are pretty (d) you can’t grow plants
  37. 37.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.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) True (b) False
  40. 40.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal

Answer key

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

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