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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 456 · 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 “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  2. 2.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) answering their point (b) a personal attack (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
  3. 3.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  4. 4.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) False (b) True
  5. 5.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  6. 6.🛡️ 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
  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.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🛡️ 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
  11. 11.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) False (b) True
  12. 12.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  13. 13.🛡️ 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
  14. 14.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
  15. 15.🛡️ 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
  16. 16.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) True (b) False
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.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) True (b) False
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you can’t grow plants (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) I love flowers (d) gardens are pretty
  23. 23.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) sport is popular (b) you never play sport (c) I like lunch break (d) play helps us focus
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  26. 26.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like football (b) you are a show-off (c) homework is boring (d) we can practise in class
  27. 27.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) raise your voice (c) change the topic (d) state their point fairly
  28. 28.🛡️ 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
  29. 29.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🛡️ 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
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  32. 32.🛡️ 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
  33. 33.🛡️ 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
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the judges (c) the speaker (d) the audience
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  40. 40.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point

Answer key

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

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