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Debate Worksheet: Rebuttal

Debate lesson 5: Rebuttal: answering the other side · Set 969 · 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 “Recycling is too hard to manage.” Reply: “Plastic comes in many colours.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  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.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
  4. 4.🛡️ What is a rebuttal? (a) answering their point (b) a personal attack (c) repeating your point (d) thanking the judges
  5. 5.🛡️ 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
  6. 6.🛡️ In a rebuttal, which comes first: say why it matters or say their point? (a) say why it matters (b) say their point
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.🛡️ 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
  9. 9.🛡️ 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) dodges the point (c) attacks the person
  10. 10.🛡️ They said “Sports periods waste study time.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you never play sport (b) play helps us focus (c) I like lunch break (d) sport is popular
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” (a) dodges the point (b) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  13. 13.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  14. 14.🛡️ 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
  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) True (b) False
  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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  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) True (b) False
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.True or false: They said “A garden costs too much.” Reply: “Gardens look very pretty in spring.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🛡️ 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) attacks the person (c) a fair rebuttal
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.🛡️ 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
  23. 23.🛡️ 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) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  24. 24.🛡️ 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
  25. 25.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) False (b) True
  26. 26.🛡️ 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
  27. 27.🛡️ 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
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.🛡️ 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
  30. 30.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “You never read anything yourself.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.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 attacks the person, not the point. (a) True (b) False
  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) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  33. 33.🛡️ A good rebuttal attacks… (a) the argument (b) the judges (c) the speaker (d) the audience
  34. 34.🛡️ They said “Homework helps us practise.” Which reply answers this point? (a) homework is boring (b) you are a show-off (c) we can practise in class (d) I like football
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.True or false: They said “Long holidays help us rest.” Reply: “Let’s talk about something else instead.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: They said “Students won’t read in a reading hour.” Reply: “Libraries are quiet places.” — this is a fair rebuttal, as it answers the point. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🛡️ What kind of reply is this? They said “Cooking is risky for students.” Reply: “You are scared of everything.” (a) dodges the point (b) a fair rebuttal (c) attacks the person
  39. 39.🛡️ 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
  40. 40.🛡️ They said “A garden costs too much.” Which reply answers this point? (a) you can’t grow plants (b) seeds cost under ₹500 (c) gardens are pretty (d) I love flowers

Answer key

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

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