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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 627 · 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.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) False (b) True
  2. 2.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  3. 3.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  4. 4.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) we can practise in class (b) I like football (c) you are a show-off (d) homework is boring
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.🛡️ 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
  7. 7.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  8. 8.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
  10. 10.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the speaker (b) the argument (c) the judges (d) the audience
  11. 11.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  13. 13.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) False (b) True
  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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  15. 15.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  16. 16.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) play helps us focus (b) you never play sport (c) sport is popular (d) I like lunch break
  20. 20.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) False (b) True
  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 “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) change the topic (b) raise your voice (c) laugh at them (d) state their point fairly
  24. 24.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  25. 25.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  26. 26.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🛡️ 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
  29. 29.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🛡️ 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
  31. 31.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  32. 32.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  33. 33.🛡️ 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
  34. 34.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
  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 is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  40. 40.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) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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