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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 931 · 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 is wrong or give your evidence? (a) say why it is wrong (b) give your evidence
  2. 2.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the speaker (b) the judges (c) the argument (d) the audience
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.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) False (b) True
  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.🛡️ 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
  9. 9.🛡️ 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
  10. 10.🛡️ 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
  11. 11.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) sport is popular (c) I like lunch break (d) play helps us focus
  13. 13.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
  14. 14.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  15. 15.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  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: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  20. 20.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) thanking the judges (c) answering their point (d) repeating your point
  21. 21.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
  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) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  23. 23.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “You are lazy, so of course you want rest.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  29. 29.🛡️ 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
  30. 30.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  31. 31.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  32. 32.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  33. 33.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  34. 34.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (b) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  35. 35.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “Sport is played all over the world.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) change the topic (b) raise your voice (c) state their point fairly (d) laugh at them
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person

Answer key

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

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