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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 826 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  4. 4.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  5. 5.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) thanking the judges (b) repeating your point (c) answering their point (d) a personal attack
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  11. 11.🛡️ 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
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  15. 15.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  16. 16.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 is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  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.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “With teachers watching and simple tools, it can be done safely.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the judges (c) the speaker (d) the argument
  21. 21.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (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 “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
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) play helps us focus (c) I like lunch break (d) sport is popular
  26. 26.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  27. 27.🛡️ 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
  28. 28.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  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) True (b) False
  31. 31.🛡️ 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
  32. 32.🛡️ 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
  33. 33.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) True (b) False
  34. 34.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) False (b) True
  35. 35.🛡️ 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
  36. 36.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “A short break for play helps students focus better afterwards.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  40. 40.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point

Answer key

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

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