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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 929 · 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.🛡️ 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.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  3. 3.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  7. 7.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) play helps us focus (c) sport is popular (d) I like lunch break
  8. 8.🛡️ 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
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  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.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) I love flowers (c) you can’t grow plants (d) seeds cost under ₹500
  12. 12.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  13. 13.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or say why it matters? (a) say their point (b) say why it matters
  14. 14.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) True (b) False
  15. 15.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) False (b) True
  16. 16.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  17. 17.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  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) False (b) True
  19. 19.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the speaker (b) the audience (c) the judges (d) the argument
  22. 22.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) False (b) True
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.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) True (b) False
  28. 28.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  31. 31.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  32. 32.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Two labelled bins and one monitor per class make it simple.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.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) False (b) True
  35. 35.🛡️ 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
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) thanking the judges (b) answering their point (c) repeating your point (d) a personal attack
  38. 38.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) homework is boring (c) we can practise in class (d) I like football
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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