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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 583 · 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: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) sport is popular (c) play helps us focus (d) I like lunch break
  4. 4.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  5. 5.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) a personal attack (c) answering their point (d) thanking the judges
  6. 6.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the speaker (b) the argument (c) the judges (d) the audience
  9. 9.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  10. 10.🛡️ 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
  11. 11.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  15. 15.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  16. 16.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) True (b) False
  17. 17.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) True (b) False
  18. 18.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) True (b) False
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  24. 24.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) seeds cost under ₹500 (b) you can’t grow plants (c) I love flowers (d) gardens are pretty
  27. 27.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) False (b) True
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.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) False (b) True
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  39. 39.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) change the topic (c) state their point fairly (d) raise your voice
  40. 40.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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