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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 48 · 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 “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
  2. 2.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
  3. 3.🛡️ 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
  4. 4.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  5. 5.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) we can practise in class (c) homework is boring (d) I like football
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.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) True (b) False
  12. 12.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  13. 13.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  15. 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  16. 16.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  17. 17.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) True (b) False
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.🛡️ 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
  24. 24.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) seeds cost under ₹500 (b) I love flowers (c) gardens are pretty (d) you can’t grow plants
  27. 27.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the judges (b) the argument (c) the speaker (d) the audience
  28. 28.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  29. 29.🛡️ 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
  30. 30.🛡️ 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
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  32. 32.🛡️ 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
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  36. 36.🛡️ 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
  37. 37.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) False (b) True
  38. 38.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  39. 39.🛡️ 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
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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