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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 933 · 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.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
  2. 2.🛡️ 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
  3. 3.🛡️ 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
  4. 4.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) a personal attack (b) answering their point (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
  7. 7.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) sport is popular (b) I like lunch break (c) you never play sport (d) play helps us focus
  8. 8.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the judges (b) the speaker (c) the audience (d) the argument
  9. 9.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  10. 10.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) True (b) False
  11. 11.🛡️ 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
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.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) True (b) False
  14. 14.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) raise your voice (b) laugh at them (c) change the topic (d) state their point fairly
  15. 15.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say their point or give your evidence? (a) say their point (b) give your evidence
  16. 16.🛡️ 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
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  19. 19.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  20. 20.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) True (b) False
  21. 21.🛡️ 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
  22. 22.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Practice can happen in class, where the teacher can help.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  23. 23.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “You only say that to please the teacher.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  24. 24.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you are a show-off (b) homework is boring (c) I like football (d) we can practise in class
  25. 25.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) False (b) True
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  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) False (b) True
  28. 28.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  29. 29.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say why it matters? (a) give your evidence (b) say why it matters
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  32. 32.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” (a) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  33. 33.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  34. 34.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) True (b) False
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🛡️ 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
  37. 37.🛡️ 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
  38. 38.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) False (b) True
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.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) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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