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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 266 · 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 their point or say why it is wrong? (a) say their point (b) say why it is wrong
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.🛡️ 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
  4. 4.🛡️ 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
  5. 5.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  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.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  8. 8.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) thanking the judges (b) repeating your point (c) a personal attack (d) answering their point
  9. 9.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  10. 10.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🛡️ 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
  12. 12.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  13. 13.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the speaker (b) the argument (c) the audience (d) the judges
  14. 14.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) True (b) False
  15. 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) raise your voice (c) state their point fairly (d) change the topic
  19. 19.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  20. 20.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  23. 23.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) we can practise in class (b) you are a show-off (c) homework is boring (d) I like football
  24. 24.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  25. 25.🛡️ 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
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  32. 32.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  33. 33.🛡️ 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
  34. 34.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.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) True (b) False
  36. 36.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) play helps us focus (b) I like lunch break (c) sport is popular (d) you never play sport

Answer key

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

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