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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 304 · 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.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) False (b) True
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  4. 4.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) False (b) True
  5. 5.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
  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.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
  8. 8.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
  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) True (b) False
  10. 10.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  11. 11.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  12. 12.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) True (b) False
  13. 13.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
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  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.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
  17. 17.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) repeating your point (c) answering their point (d) thanking the judges
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  20. 20.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) True (b) False
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) I love flowers (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) you can’t grow plants
  24. 24.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.🛡️ 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
  28. 28.🛡️ 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
  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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  30. 30.🛡️ 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
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  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.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) play helps us focus (c) I like lunch break (d) sport is popular
  37. 37.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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