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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 345 · 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 “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  2. 2.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  3. 3.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) change the topic (b) laugh at them (c) state their point fairly (d) raise your voice
  4. 4.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  5. 5.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  6. 6.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) False (b) True
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the judges (c) the argument (d) the speaker
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  10. 10.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  14. 14.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  15. 15.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  16. 16.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  17. 17.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) answering their point (b) repeating your point (c) thanking the judges (d) a personal attack
  20. 20.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  23. 23.🛡️ 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
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.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
  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 is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  29. 29.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  30. 30.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  32. 32.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
  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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.🛡️ 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
  36. 36.🛡️ 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
  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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  40. 40.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 is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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