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How to debate effectively
Contributed by: Sadler
  • 1. What is the primary goal of a debate?
A) Win at all costs
B) Simply state your opinion
C) Persuade the audience or judge
D) Intimidate your opponent
  • 2. What is a crucial element of a strong argument?
A) Personal attacks
B) Evidence and reasoning
C) Volume and speed
D) Emotional appeals only
  • 3. What is 'burden of proof' in a debate?
A) The obligation to prove your claim
B) The right to speak first
C) The ability to interrupt
D) The length of your speech
  • 4. What is a fallacy?
A) A flawed reasoning or argument
B) A personal belief
C) A strong supporting fact
D) A type of evidence
  • 5. What does 'rebuttal' mean in debate?
A) Repeating your own points
B) Agreeing with the opponent
C) Responding to and disproving an argument
D) Ignoring the opponent's points
  • 6. Which of the following is NOT a common type of evidence?
A) Anecdotes
B) Statistics
C) Personal opinion
D) Expert testimony
  • 7. What is 'ad hominem'?
A) Attacking the person, not the argument
B) Summarizing your points
C) Supporting your claim with data
D) Acknowledging a weakness in your argument
  • 8. What is the purpose of cross-examination?
A) To praise the opponent
B) To give a speech
C) To make personal attacks
D) To clarify and challenge the opponent's arguments
  • 9. What does 'rhetoric' refer to?
A) The act of yelling loudly
B) The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing
C) Using complex jargon
D) Ignoring the audience
  • 10. Why is it important to listen actively during a debate?
A) To interrupt the opponent
B) To understand and respond to the opponent's arguments
C) Because it is polite.
D) To prepare your next speech without hearing them
  • 11. What is a 'straw man' fallacy?
A) Misrepresenting an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack
B) Building a logical argument
C) Ignoring the opponent's argument
D) Using a physical straw man as a prop
  • 12. What is the 'bandwagon' fallacy?
A) Playing music during a debate
B) A logical deduction
C) Arguing that something is true because it's popular
D) Following traffic laws
  • 13. What is the 'slippery slope' fallacy?
A) A quick decision
B) A well-supported argument
C) Arguing that one event will inevitably lead to a series of negative consequences
D) Walking on ice
  • 14. Why is structure important in a debate speech?
A) To make your arguments clear and easy to follow
B) To confuse the audience
C) Because it is required
D) To make the speech longer
  • 15. What is a 'counter-argument'?
A) Agreeing with the opponent
B) A type of physical force
C) An argument presented to oppose or refute another argument
D) Ignoring the opponent
  • 16. What is the importance of eye contact in a debate?
A) To avoid thinking
B) To intimidate the opponent
C) To connect with the audience and appear confident
D) It's not important.
  • 17. What is the role of 'ethos' in persuasion?
A) Ignoring the audience
B) Using only emotional appeals
C) Establishing credibility and trust with the audience
D) Making personal attacks
  • 18. What is the role of 'logos' in persuasion?
A) Using logic and reasoning to support your arguments
B) Using only emotional appeals
C) Making personal attacks
D) Ignoring the audience
  • 19. What is the role of 'pathos' in persuasion?
A) Ignoring the audience
B) Making personal attacks
C) Using only logic and reasoning
D) Appealing to the emotions of the audience
  • 20. Which of the following is a good way to start a debate speech?
A) Start with a personal attack.
B) Read a prepared statement without looking up.
C) Clearly state your position and outline your main arguments.
D) Apologize for your position.
  • 21. What is the importance of summarizing your arguments in a debate?
A) Because it is required
B) To reinforce your key points and leave a lasting impression.
C) To confuse the audience.
D) To make the speech longer
  • 22. What is the proper way to address the judge in a debate?
A) Call them by their first name.
B) Ignore the judge.
C) Use casual language and slang.
D) Use formal titles, like 'Madam/Mr. Judge' or 'Your Honor'.
  • 23. Why is it important to cite your sources in a debate?
A) To confuse the audience.
B) To establish credibility and avoid plagiarism.
C) Because it is required
D) To make the speech longer
  • 24. What is the difference between fact and opinion?
A) They are the same thing.
B) Facts are always wrong.
C) A fact is a verifiable statement, while an opinion is a belief.
D) Facts are unimportant, while opinions are crucial.
  • 25. What is the 'red herring' fallacy?
A) A type of fish.
B) Eating seafood during a debate.
C) A well-supported argument
D) Introducing an irrelevant topic to distract from the main issue.
  • 26. What is the purpose of a concluding statement in a debate?
A) To introduce new arguments.
B) To attack the opponent one last time.
C) To apologize for any mistakes.
D) To summarize your main points and reiterate your position.
  • 27. How should you handle it if you don't know the answer to a question?
A) Make up an answer.
B) Acknowledge you don't know, but offer to research the topic and respond later.
C) Ignore the question.
D) Attack the person asking the question.
  • 28. What is 'argument from authority'?
A) Logical Deduction
B) Disregarding all expert opinions
C) Claiming something is true simply because an authority figure said so, without sufficient evidence.
D) Always trusting authority figures
  • 29. What is the benefit of practicing your debate speeches?
A) It makes your speech sound robotic.
B) It wastes time.
C) Increased anxiety.
D) Improved delivery, confidence, and time management.
  • 30. What is the most important quality of a good debater?
A) The ability to shout the loudest.
B) Physical Strength
C) The ability to think critically and argue persuasively.
D) The ability to memorize information.
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