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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 516 · 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: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  2. 2.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you can’t grow plants (b) gardens are pretty (c) I love flowers (d) seeds cost under ₹500
  3. 3.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  4. 4.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  5. 5.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🛡️ 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
  7. 7.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  8. 8.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  9. 9.🛡️ 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
  10. 10.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  11. 11.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) False (b) True
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  15. 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) thanking the judges (b) repeating your point (c) answering their point (d) a personal attack
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.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) False (b) True
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.🛡️ 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
  26. 26.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  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.🛡️ 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
  29. 29.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) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  32. 32.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the argument (c) the judges (d) the speaker
  33. 33.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  34. 34.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  35. 35.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  36. 36.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  37. 37.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) False (b) True
  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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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