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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 248 · 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.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) you are a show-off (c) I like football (d) we can practise in class
  2. 2.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) state their point fairly (b) change the topic (c) laugh at them (d) raise your voice
  3. 3.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🛡️ 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
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) answering their point (b) a personal attack (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
  7. 7.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
  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 “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
  10. 10.🛡️ 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
  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.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  13. 13.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  14. 14.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
  15. 15.🛡️ 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
  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.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) play helps us focus (b) sport is popular (c) I like lunch break (d) you never play sport
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.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) True (b) False
  20. 20.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  22. 22.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) True (b) False
  23. 23.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the argument (c) the speaker (d) the judges
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  26. 26.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  29. 29.🛡️ 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
  30. 30.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  33. 33.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  34. 34.🛡️ 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
  35. 35.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  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) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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