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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 88 · 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.🛡️ 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
  2. 2.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) play helps us focus (b) I like lunch break (c) you never play sport (d) sport is popular
  3. 3.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) True (b) False
  4. 4.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  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.🛡️ 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
  7. 7.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  9. 9.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  10. 10.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) repeating your point (c) answering their point (d) thanking the judges
  11. 11.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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.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) False (b) True
  13. 13.🛡️ 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
  14. 14.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  15. 15.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  16. 16.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.🛡️ 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) 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.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  22. 22.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) True (b) False
  23. 23.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  24. 24.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  25. 25.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) False (b) True
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  28. 28.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  29. 29.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I love flowers (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) gardens are pretty (d) you can’t grow plants
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.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) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🛡️ 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
  37. 37.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) True (b) False
  38. 38.🛡️ 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
  39. 39.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  40. 40.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal

Answer key

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

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