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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 259 · 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.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) homework is boring (c) I like football (d) we can practise in class
  3. 3.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) a personal attack (c) thanking the judges (d) answering their point
  4. 4.🛡️ 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
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.🛡️ 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
  7. 7.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  8. 8.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  10. 10.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  11. 11.🛡️ 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
  12. 12.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  13. 13.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  14. 14.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  15. 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  16. 16.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the judges (c) the speaker (d) the audience
  17. 17.🛡️ 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
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  21. 21.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  22. 22.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🛡️ 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
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  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.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.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) False (b) True
  28. 28.🛡️ 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
  29. 29.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) False (b) True
  30. 30.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) True (b) False
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.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) False (b) True
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.🛡️ 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
  35. 35.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) True (b) False
  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 dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) sport is popular (c) I like lunch break (d) play helps us focus
  39. 39.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
  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) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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