The Art of Debate: A Battle of Words

Questions: 5

Grade: 9

Words: 138

Text

Text & Questions

Text, Questions & Answers

In the heart of Hamilton High, a riveting school debate was underway. Our protagonist, timid Tim, was known to 'stammer' in front of large crowds. His rival, boastful Benny, was infamous for his 'harangue', often overshadowing the substance of his arguments with his loud and forceful delivery. Tim's mentor, wise Wendy, loved to 'rhapsodize' about the art of debating, often saying, 'It's not about who speaks the loudest, but who speaks the truth.' Tim, feeling the 'chagrin' after a lackluster performance in the initial rounds, decided to heed Wendy's advice. The final round arrived, and Benny tried to 'beguile' the judges with flashy but 'prosaic' arguments. Tim, however, stood tall and surprised everyone by refuting Benny's points with irrefutable facts and clever wit. He managed to 'thwart' Benny's attempt to wow the judges with style over substance.

Question 1

What does 'rhapsodize' mean in the context of the passage?

To argue

To stammer

To speak passionately about something

Explanation. In the passage, 'rhapsodize' is used to describe Wendy's love for discussing the art of debating, indicating that she speaks passionately about it.

To beguile

To harangue

Question 2

What was the central idea of Tim's argument in the final round?

Being flashy and loud is the key to winning

Style is more important than substance

Benny is a better debater

Refuting points with facts and wit is more effective

Explanation. In the final round, Tim surprised everyone by refuting Benny's points with irrefutable facts and clever wit, indicating that this was his central idea.

His performance in the initial rounds was poor

Question 3

What is the meaning of 'prosaic' in the text?

Eloquent and poetic

Commonplace or dull

Explanation. 'Prosaic' means commonplace or dull, lacking in imaginative excitement. In the passage, it is used to describe Benny's arguments.

Witty and sharp

Loud and forceful

Confusing and complex

Question 4

Why did Tim feel chagrin after the initial rounds of the debate?

Because he won the debate

Because he was confident about his performance

Because he performed lacklusterly

Explanation. The passage mentions that Tim felt chagrin after a lackluster performance in the initial rounds, indicating that he was not satisfied with his performance.