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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 85 · 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: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  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 “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  5. 5.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) you can’t grow plants (c) I love flowers (d) seeds cost under ₹500
  6. 6.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like football (b) you are a show-off (c) we can practise in class (d) homework is boring
  7. 7.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  8. 8.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  9. 9.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) play helps us focus (c) you never play sport (d) sport is popular
  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.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  12. 12.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) True (b) False
  13. 13.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) laugh at them (b) raise your voice (c) change the topic (d) state their point fairly
  14. 14.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.🛡️ 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
  17. 17.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.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) True (b) False
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🛡️ 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
  26. 26.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  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.🛡️ 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
  29. 29.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) True (b) False
  30. 30.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the speaker (c) the argument (d) the judges
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  34. 34.🛡️ 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
  35. 35.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  36. 36.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.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) True (b) False
  39. 39.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) thanking the judges (c) repeating your point (d) answering their point
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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