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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 771 · 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 “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) change the topic (c) raise your voice (d) state their point fairly
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  7. 7.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  9. 9.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  10. 10.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) True (b) False
  11. 11.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  12. 12.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the judges (c) the speaker (d) the argument
  13. 13.🛡️ 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
  14. 14.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) you can’t grow plants (c) gardens are pretty (d) seeds cost under ₹500
  15. 15.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  16. 16.🛡️ 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
  17. 17.🛡️ 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
  18. 18.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.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) True (b) False
  21. 21.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  22. 22.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  23. 23.🛡️ 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
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.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) False (b) True
  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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  29. 29.🛡️ 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
  30. 30.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  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 “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
  34. 34.🛡️ 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
  35. 35.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  36. 36.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) thanking the judges (c) answering their point (d) repeating your point
  37. 37.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🛡️ 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

Answer key

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

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