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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 696 · 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) sport is popular (b) I like lunch break (c) play helps us focus (d) you never play sport
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) answering their point (b) thanking the judges (c) a personal attack (d) repeating your point
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  7. 7.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) raise your voice (c) state their point fairly (d) change the topic
  8. 8.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  9. 9.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  10. 10.🛡️ 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
  11. 11.🛡️ 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
  12. 12.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you can’t grow plants (b) gardens are pretty (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) I love flowers
  13. 13.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) False (b) True
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  15. 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  16. 16.🛡️ 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
  17. 17.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  18. 18.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  22. 22.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  23. 23.🛡️ 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
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.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) True (b) False
  27. 27.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the speaker (c) the argument (d) the judges
  28. 28.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  29. 29.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.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) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  36. 36.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  40. 40.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal

Answer key

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

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