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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 479 · 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.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) False (b) True
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  4. 4.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the argument (c) the judges (d) the speaker
  5. 5.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  6. 6.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) sport is popular (b) I like lunch break (c) you never play sport (d) play helps us focus
  7. 7.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  8. 8.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) raise your voice (c) state their point fairly (d) change the topic
  9. 9.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) False (b) True
  10. 10.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) seeds cost under ₹500 (b) gardens are pretty (c) I love flowers (d) you can’t grow plants
  11. 11.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) answering their point (c) a personal attack (d) thanking the judges
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🛡️ 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
  16. 16.🛡️ 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
  17. 17.🛡️ 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
  18. 18.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) we can practise in class (b) homework is boring (c) you are a show-off (d) I like football
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  25. 25.🛡️ 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
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🛡️ 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
  29. 29.🛡️ 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
  30. 30.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🛡️ 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
  37. 37.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  39. 39.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  40. 40.🛡️ 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

Answer key

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

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