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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 906 · 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: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  2. 2.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  3. 3.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  4. 4.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) you can’t grow plants (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) I love flowers
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) state their point fairly (b) raise your voice (c) change the topic (d) laugh at them
  7. 7.🛡️ 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
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.🛡️ 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
  10. 10.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  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.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) sport is popular (b) play helps us focus (c) I like lunch break (d) you never play sport
  13. 13.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  14. 14.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) False (b) True
  15. 15.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) True (b) False
  16. 16.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like football (b) you are a show-off (c) homework is boring (d) we can practise in class
  17. 17.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) False (b) True
  18. 18.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the judges (b) the audience (c) the speaker (d) the argument
  19. 19.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  20. 20.🛡️ 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
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.🛡️ 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
  24. 24.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  25. 25.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.🛡️ 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
  28. 28.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) thanking the judges (b) a personal attack (c) repeating your point (d) answering their point
  29. 29.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  30. 30.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Seeds and pots cost under ₹500, and parents have offered tools.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.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) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🛡️ 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
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “My mother makes very tasty dal.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  40. 40.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point

Answer key

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

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