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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 622 · 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.🛡️ 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
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  4. 4.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) True (b) False
  5. 5.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  6. 6.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) True (b) False
  7. 7.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  8. 8.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) True (b) False
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  10. 10.🛡️ 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
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) you never play sport (c) sport is popular (d) play helps us focus
  13. 13.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
  14. 14.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
  15. 15.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the speaker (c) the judges (d) the audience
  16. 16.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) thanking the judges (d) repeating your point
  18. 18.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) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) we can practise in class (b) homework is boring (c) you are a show-off (d) I like football
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  25. 25.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) you can’t grow plants (d) gardens are pretty
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  31. 31.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  32. 32.🛡️ 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
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.🛡️ 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
  35. 35.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  38. 38.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🛡️ 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
  40. 40.🛡️ 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

Answer key

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

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