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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 861 · 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.🛡️ 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
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.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) False (b) True
  4. 4.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) thanking the judges (c) repeating your point (d) answering their point
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the audience (b) the judges (c) the speaker (d) the argument
  7. 7.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  8. 8.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  9. 9.🛡️ 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
  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.🛡️ 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.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.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) True (b) False
  14. 14.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) I like football (c) homework is boring (d) we can practise in class
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.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
  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.🛡️ 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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🛡️ 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
  24. 24.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  25. 25.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) False (b) True
  26. 26.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  27. 27.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you can’t grow plants (b) I love flowers (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) gardens are pretty
  30. 30.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  31. 31.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  32. 32.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🛡️ 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
  34. 34.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  35. 35.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  36. 36.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  37. 37.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) False (b) True
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  40. 40.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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