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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 599 · 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 is wrong or say why it matters? (a) say why it is wrong (b) say why it matters
  2. 2.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  3. 3.🛡️ 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
  4. 4.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) seeds cost under ₹500 (b) I love flowers (c) you can’t grow plants (d) gardens are pretty
  5. 5.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) raise your voice (b) change the topic (c) state their point fairly (d) laugh at them
  8. 8.🛡️ 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
  9. 9.🛡️ 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
  10. 10.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) False (b) True
  11. 11.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  12. 12.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  13. 13.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  14. 14.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) you never play sport (c) play helps us focus (d) sport is popular
  15. 15.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like football (b) we can practise in class (c) you are a show-off (d) homework is boring
  16. 16.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) True (b) False
  17. 17.🛡️ 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
  18. 18.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  21. 21.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) thanking the judges (d) repeating your point
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.🛡️ 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
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the speaker (b) the audience (c) the argument (d) the judges
  31. 31.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  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.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  34. 34.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  40. 40.🛡️ 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

Answer key

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

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