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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 952 · 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.🛡️ 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
  2. 2.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
  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 “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” (a) attacks the person (b) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like football (b) homework is boring (c) you are a show-off (d) we can practise in class
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) gardens are pretty (b) I love flowers (c) seeds cost under ₹500 (d) you can’t grow plants
  9. 9.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  10. 10.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or give your evidence? (a) say why it matters (b) give your evidence
  11. 11.🛡️ When you rebut, what do you do first? (a) state their point fairly (b) laugh at them (c) raise your voice (d) change the topic
  12. 12.🛡️ 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
  13. 13.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) I like lunch break (b) play helps us focus (c) sport is popular (d) you never play sport
  14. 14.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) True (b) False
  15. 15.🛡️ 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
  16. 16.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  17. 17.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” (a) a fair rebuttal (b) attacks the person (c) dodges the point
  18. 18.🛡️ 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
  19. 19.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  20. 20.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) answering their point (b) thanking the judges (c) repeating your point (d) a personal attack
  21. 21.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  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) attacks the person (b) a fair rebuttal (c) dodges the point
  23. 23.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the judges (c) the audience (d) the speaker
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.True or false: They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Reply: “You just hate sport because you always lose.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: give your evidence or say their point? (a) give your evidence (b) say their point
  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 “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  32. 32.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) you are a show-off (c) I like football (d) we can practise in class
  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 “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
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.True or false: They said “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “That’s only because you are so slow.” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “You can’t even grow a cactus, so who cares?” — this dodges the point instead of answering it. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: They said “Homework helps us practise.” Reply: “Anyway, I like football more than homework.” — this attacks the person, not the point. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🛡️ 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
  40. 40.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) a fair rebuttal

Answer key

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

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