Mastering the Art of Debate
This worksheet helps grade 9 students understand and practice fundamental debate skills, including constructing arguments, identifying fallacies, and structuring debate speeches.
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Mastering the Art of Debate
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Read each question carefully and provide thoughtful, well-reasoned answers. This worksheet will help you hone your debate skills.
1. In your own words, define what a debate is and explain its primary purpose.
2. List and briefly describe the three main components of a strong argument in a debate.
3. Which of the following is an example of an 'Ad Hominem' fallacy?
Everyone believes it, so it must be true.
You can't trust her argument; she's a known liar.
If we allow students to chew gum, next they'll want to bring pets to school.
My opponent hasn't proven that ghosts don't exist, so they must.
4. The is the statement that a debater is trying to prove.
5. A rebuttal is used to the arguments made by the opposing team.
6. The process of questioning an opponent during a debate is called .
7. Imagine you are debating the motion: "This House believes that social media has a negative impact on teenagers." Construct a brief opening statement (approximately 5-7 sentences) for the PROPOSITION side. Ensure you include a clear stance, a brief overview of your main points, and a strong concluding sentence.
8. It is always acceptable to interrupt your opponent if you believe they are making a factual error.
True
False
9. A good debater relies solely on emotional appeals to persuade the audience.
True
False
Match each debate term on the left with its correct definition on the right.
10. Proposition
a. The act of disproving an argument
11. Opposition
b. The team that supports the motion
12. Rebuttal
c. The team that argues against the motion