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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 34 · 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.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  2. 2.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) seeds cost under ₹500 (b) gardens are pretty (c) you can’t grow plants (d) I love flowers
  3. 3.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  4. 4.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) thanking the judges (b) answering their point (c) repeating your point (d) a personal attack
  5. 5.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.🛡️ 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
  9. 9.🛡️ 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
  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 matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  12. 12.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) we can practise in class (b) I like football (c) you are a show-off (d) homework is boring
  13. 13.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the speaker (b) the argument (c) the audience (d) the judges
  20. 20.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  27. 27.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  28. 28.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) False (b) True
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🛡️ 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
  33. 33.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.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) True (b) False
  39. 39.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) False (b) True
  40. 40.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) play helps us focus (c) you never play sport (d) sport is popular

Answer key

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

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