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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 808 · 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 “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  2. 2.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) False (b) True
  3. 3.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) sport is popular (c) play helps us focus (d) I like lunch break
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the audience (c) the speaker (d) the judges
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) repeating your point (b) answering their point (c) thanking the judges (d) a personal attack
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.🛡️ 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
  14. 14.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  15. 15.🛡️ 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
  16. 16.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) False (b) True
  17. 17.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  18. 18.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  19. 19.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) raise your voice (b) change the topic (c) laugh at them (d) state their point fairly
  21. 21.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  22. 22.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  23. 23.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🛡️ 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
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  35. 35.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  36. 36.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  37. 37.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) gardens are pretty (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) you can’t grow plants
  40. 40.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters

Answer key

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

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