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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 327 · 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.

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  1. 1.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.🛡️ 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
  5. 5.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  6. 6.🛡️ 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
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  9. 9.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  10. 10.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) seeds cost under ₹500 (b) you can’t grow plants (c) I love flowers (d) gardens are pretty
  11. 11.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  12. 12.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  13. 13.🛡️ 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
  14. 14.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the audience (c) the judges (d) the speaker
  15. 15.🛡️ 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
  16. 16.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  17. 17.🛡️ 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
  18. 18.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  21. 21.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  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.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  25. 25.🛡️ 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
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) state their point fairly (b) laugh at them (c) change the topic (d) raise your voice
  29. 29.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  31. 31.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) we can practise in class (c) you are a show-off (d) I like football
  32. 32.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  33. 33.🛡️ 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
  34. 34.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  35. 35.🛡️ 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
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.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) True (b) False
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🛡️ 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
  40. 40.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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