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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 45 · 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 “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  4. 4.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you can’t grow plants (b) gardens are pretty (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) I love flowers
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.🛡️ 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
  7. 7.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🛡️ 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
  9. 9.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  11. 11.🛡️ 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
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.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 dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) play helps us focus (c) sport is popular (d) you never play sport
  15. 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  16. 16.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) False (b) True
  17. 17.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  18. 18.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) we can practise in class (c) I like football (d) homework is boring
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  23. 23.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the judges (b) the speaker (c) the audience (d) the argument
  25. 25.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) thanking the judges (d) repeating your point
  26. 26.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — 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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🛡️ 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
  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.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  31. 31.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) change the topic (b) laugh at them (c) raise your voice (d) state their point fairly
  34. 34.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  35. 35.🛡️ 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
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person

Answer key

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

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