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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 66 · 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 say why it is wrong? (a) say why it matters (b) say why it is wrong
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  4. 4.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  5. 5.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) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) sport is popular (c) you never play sport (d) play helps us focus
  8. 8.🛡️ 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
  9. 9.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  10. 10.🛡️ 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
  11. 11.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the argument (c) the speaker (d) the judges
  12. 12.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  13. 13.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  14. 14.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  15. 15.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) False (b) True
  16. 16.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  17. 17.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  18. 18.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) state their point fairly (b) laugh at them (c) raise your voice (d) change the topic
  19. 19.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  20. 20.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) we can practise in class (b) homework is boring (c) I like football (d) you are a show-off
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) a personal attack (c) answering their point (d) thanking the judges
  26. 26.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  29. 29.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  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.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.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) False (b) True
  37. 37.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) False (b) True
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.🛡️ 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

Answer key

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

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