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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 447 · 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 “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
  2. 2.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  3. 3.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  4. 4.🛡️ 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
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.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) False (b) True
  7. 7.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  8. 8.🛡️ 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
  9. 9.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  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.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  13. 13.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  15. 15.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
  16. 16.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) I like lunch break (c) sport is popular (d) play helps us focus
  17. 17.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the audience (c) the speaker (d) the judges
  19. 19.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  20. 20.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  21. 21.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) I like football (c) we can practise in class (d) homework is boring
  22. 22.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  23. 23.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) seeds cost under ₹500 (b) I love flowers (c) you can’t grow plants (d) gardens are pretty
  24. 24.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  26. 26.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) raise your voice (b) change the topic (c) state their point fairly (d) laugh at them
  27. 27.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.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) True (b) False
  31. 31.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
  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.🛡️ 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
  34. 34.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.🛡️ 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

Answer key

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

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