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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 787 · 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.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  4. 4.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) you are a show-off (c) I like football (d) we can practise in class
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🛡️ 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
  11. 11.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) False (b) True
  12. 12.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  13. 13.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) state their point fairly (c) change the topic (d) raise your voice
  14. 14.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  15. 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  16. 16.🛡️ 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
  17. 17.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  19. 19.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) you can’t grow plants (d) I love flowers
  23. 23.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) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🛡️ 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
  28. 28.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) 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) False (b) True
  30. 30.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  31. 31.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the judges (c) the argument (d) the speaker
  32. 32.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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.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) True (b) False
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.🛡️ 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
  36. 36.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
  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.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) play helps us focus (c) sport is popular (d) you never play sport
  39. 39.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  40. 40.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person

Answer key

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

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