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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 631 · 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.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) I like lunch break (c) sport is popular (d) play helps us focus
  2. 2.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) state their point fairly (b) change the topic (c) laugh at them (d) raise your voice
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) you can’t grow plants (c) I love flowers (d) seeds cost under ₹500
  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.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  10. 10.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  12. 12.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) I like football (c) homework is boring (d) we can practise in class
  13. 13.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  15. 15.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) False (b) True
  16. 16.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  17. 17.🛡️ 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
  18. 18.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  20. 20.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  21. 21.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.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) True (b) False
  24. 24.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the judges (c) the speaker (d) the argument
  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) False (b) True
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.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) True (b) False
  29. 29.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) True (b) False
  30. 30.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) a personal attack (c) thanking the judges (d) answering their point
  31. 31.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  32. 32.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  33. 33.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) False (b) True
  34. 34.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  37. 37.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  38. 38.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) True (b) False
  39. 39.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  40. 40.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point

Answer key

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

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