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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 575 · 40 questions
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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.🛡️ 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
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) we can practise in class (c) you are a show-off (d) I like football
  7. 7.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  8. 8.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the speaker (c) the judges (d) the argument
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  10. 10.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) thanking the judges (c) answering their point (d) a personal attack
  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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  13. 13.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) you can’t grow plants (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) gardens are pretty
  14. 14.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.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) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  20. 20.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  22. 22.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  23. 23.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) change the topic (b) raise your voice (c) state their point fairly (d) laugh at them
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.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) True (b) False
  28. 28.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) False (b) True
  29. 29.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  30. 30.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) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.🛡️ 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
  36. 36.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) play helps us focus (b) I like lunch break (c) sport is popular (d) you never play sport
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal

Answer key

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

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