WorksheetsReview for Q1 Benchmark Policy Debate 2025-2026
Total questions: 114
Worksheet time: 3570secs
What is the primary characteristic that makes "Stock Issues" special in a debate round?
They are the only arguments allowed in a debate.
They are categories of arguments that the affirmative team must prove true to meet their burden of proof.
They are arguments that only the negative team can use.
They are arguments that can be dropped without consequence.
What does the stock issue of "Inherency" primarily focus on in a debate?
Proving that the proposed solution is effective.
Demonstrating that the problem is not harmful.
Identifying a barrier that keeps the problem "stuck" in the current system.
Arguing that the affirmative plan is too expensive.
What is the main purpose of the "Harms" stock issue in a debate?
To show that the current system is working perfectly.
To debate whether the problem being discussed is harmful.
To prove that the affirmative team's plan is topical.
To introduce new arguments not related to the resolution.
What is the primary focus of "Solvency" in a debate?
Whether the affirmative plan will solve the problem.
Whether the problem truly exists.
The advantages of the affirmative plan.
Whether the plan fits within the resolution.
What makes an affirmative plan "un-topical" in a debate?
It proposes a solution that is too expensive.
It does not address the problem effectively.
It falls outside the specific requirements of the resolution.
It presents evidence from an unreliable source.
What is a key characteristic of "stock issues" in a debate?
They are categories of arguments that the affirmative team must prove true to meet their burden of proof.
They are irrelevant to the debate topic.
They are only used in policy debates.
They are the same as counterarguments.
What are stock issues in policy debate?
They are always unique to each debate.
They are recurring problems and themes that arise in debates.
They are only relevant in informal discussions.
They are fixed arguments that cannot be debated.
What is the primary focus of the affirmative team's case in a policy debate?
Disputing the credibility of the opponent's evidence.
Presenting a specific plan to address the resolution.
Denying the existence of the problem in the status quo.
Questioning the workability of the negative team's arguments.
What are the stock issues in policy debate that the affirmative has to prove?
Topicality, Significance - How significant is the problem that the affirmative is trying to solve, Harms, Inherency, Solvency
Relevance, Impact, Feasibility, Uniqueness, Counterplan
Framework, Evidence, Refutation, Cross-examination, Rebuttal
Jurisdiction, Burden of Proof, Status Quo, Plan Text, Counterplan
What is the main goal of a topicality argument in a debate?
To prove that the affirmative's evidence is unreliable.
To demonstrate that the affirmative's plan will not solve the problem.
To assert that the affirmative's plan is outside the scope of the debate's resolution.
To show that the problem the affirmative is addressing does not exist.
What is the primary purpose of a language critique in a debate?
To challenge the underlying assumptions of the affirmative's plan.
To question the specific terms used in the resolution itself.
To highlight harmful or biased language used by the affirmative.
To propose an alternative solution to the problem.
A negative team in policy debate may combine a disadvantage argument with a counterplan.
True
False
What is the primary purpose of "flowing" in a debate round?
To record every word spoken by both teams.
To condense a 20-30 page transcript into a few pages for visualization.
To only track the arguments made by your own team.
To prepare for cross-examination questions.
What are the two main types of shortcuts debaters utilize for effective flowing?
Verbal and Non-verbal.
Common and Unique.
Written and Mental.
Acronyms and Shorthands.
What is the primary purpose of using lines and circles as markers in written shortcuts?
To signify an increase or decrease in a concept.
To direct the logical progression of arguments.
To visually separate distinct arguments and sections of the flow.
To represent complex words or concepts concisely.
What does the "Flowing Trap" refer to in the context of debates?
The act of quickly writing down every word spoken in a round.
The struggle debaters face in keeping up with the speed of debate rounds while taking notes.
The use of personal symbols and heuristics to track arguments.
The mental process of expanding one's thinking capacity during a debate.
What is the purpose of compartmentalizing in a debate?
To write down every word of the opponent's speech.
To create a bird's-eye view of the debate.
To memorize all arguments before the debate.
To only focus on offensive arguments.
In policy debate, what does pre-flowing mean?
Writing down your opponent's arguments before the round begins.
Preparing a flow sheet with your constructive case before the round starts.
Copying evidence word-for-word onto your flow sheet.
Taking notes only after the first speech has finished.
What is considered the best way to learn how to flow a debate?
Reading debate theory articles instead of taking notes during rounds.
Watching a debate and practicing flowing while listening to the speeches.
Waiting until after the debate is over to write down key arguments.
Memorizing speeches word-for-word without writing anything down.
Which of the following is a stock issue in policy debate?
Rebuttal timing
Inherency
Counterplan solvency
Judge paradigms
The first speech in a policy debate round is the:
First Negative Constructive (1NC)
First Affirmative Constructive (1AC)
First Cross-Examination
Negative Rebuttal
Inherency refers to:
Why the problem persists in the status quo
A test of topicality
A disadvantage link
The cross-examination period
The affirmative’s “plan” in policy debate is:
A critique of the resolution
An alternative strategy
A proposal identifying specific policy changes
A summary of advantages only
A disadvantage includes all of the following EXCEPT:
Link
Impact
Internal links
Cross-examination
How many rebuttal speeches are there in a policy debate round?
2
3
4
1
Which speech is part of the “negative block”?
1AR and 2AR
1NC and 1NR
2NC and 1NR
2AC and 2NC
Which is TRUE of the First Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR)?
It is longer than constructive speeches.
It responds to two negative speeches.
It introduces new disadvantages.
It is delivered by the negative team.
Which of the following is an offensive negative strategy?
Case attack on solvency
Disadvantage
Cross-examination
Evidence paraphrasing
In policy debate, topicality arguments must include:
Voting issue
Counterplan text
Plan advantages
Inherency proofs
Which is an example of a critique (kritik)?
Claiming economic growth is harmful
Claiming permafrost thaw accelerates warming
Explaining inherency in the status quo
Presenting a counterplan on Arctic cooperation
The Arctic Science Diplomacy plan advocates:
A) A U.S. ban on Russian Arctic drilling
B) Increased U.S. permafrost exploration in Russia
C) NATO military cooperation in the Arctic
D) Funding for non-Arctic science projects
Why is Russian permafrost critical for climate science?
It is the least studied region of the world
It contains the majority of global permafrost data
One danger of permafrost thaw is:
Increased oil exports
Release of novel pathogens
Strengthened Arctic governance
Slowing of feedback loops
What is meant by “runaway warming” in the 1AC?
A short-term Arctic storm
A self-sustaining feedback loop of thaw and emissions
The collapse of NATO
A critique of industrial growth
The Arctic Diplomacy advantage argues that:
Diplomacy reduces military escalation in the Arctic
Diplomacy increases oil drilling opportunities
Russia wants to abandon the Arctic Council
NATO prefers isolation of Russia permanently
What caused the suspension of Arctic Council projects in 2022?
U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Permafrost collapse
New NATO leadership
The 1NC typically does what?
Presents the affirmative plan
Lays out disadvantages and critiques of the affirmative
Answers the 2NR
Judges the round
What does “solvency” mean in stock issues?
Why the affirmative plan is topical
Why the affirmative plan will work
Why the disadvantage outweighs
Why the negative should win
The term “status quo” means:
Doing nothing / current system continues
Passing the affirmative plan
Running a kritik instead of a DA
Counterplan plus permutation
Define inherency and explain its role in an affirmative case.
Inherency is defined as the stock issue proving the problem persists in the status quo and is not being solved. Its role is to show why change is necessary, justifying the plan.
Inherency is the process of presenting evidence for the solvency of the plan. Its role is to demonstrate how the plan will be implemented.
Inherency refers to the advantages gained by adopting the plan. Its role is to highlight the benefits of the proposal.
Inherency is the act of cross-examining the opposition. Its role is to refute the negative case.
What is the “negative block,” and why is it strategically powerful?
The negative block is the 13 minutes of consecutive negative speeches: 2NC (8 min) + 1NR (5 min). It is strategically powerful because it allows the negative to present and extend multiple arguments back-to-back, while the affirmative must respond in a shorter speech (1AR).
The negative block is the time when the affirmative team presents their case uninterrupted, making it difficult for the negative to respond.
The negative block refers to the judge’s period of deliberation, which is powerful because it determines the winner.
The negative block is a set of cross-examination questions asked by the negative team, giving them an advantage in questioning.
Briefly describe one risk of permafrost thaw as discussed in the Science Diplomacy case.
Release of greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄) → accelerates warming; Release of pathogens (disease risk); Destabilization of infrastructure.
Increased agricultural productivity due to warmer soils.
Formation of new mineral resources in thawed ground.
Enhanced growth of Arctic forests due to nutrient release.
How does the Arctic Diplomacy advantage claim to reduce the risk of conflict?
Scientific cooperation reduces risk of military conflict by building trust, establishing communication, and reinforcing multilateral norms.
By increasing military presence in the Arctic region to deter potential adversaries.
By restricting access to natural resources to prevent competition.
By encouraging economic sanctions against non-cooperative states.
Explain the purpose of cross-examination in policy debate.
The purpose of cross-examination in policy debate is to clarify arguments, expose flaws, contradictions, or weaknesses, set up future arguments by pinning down opponents, and demonstrate credibility to the judge.
The purpose of cross-examination in policy debate is to provide entertainment for the audience.
The purpose of cross-examination in policy debate is to summarize the entire debate round.
The purpose of cross-examination in policy debate is to introduce new evidence not previously discussed.
Russian permafrost thaw contributes to global warming and pandemics by creating a feedback loop, making Russian permafrost data crucial for understanding global risks if cooperation is not restored. Which of the following best explains this process?
Thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gases, accelerating warming and potentially releasing ancient pathogens, making Russian data vital for global monitoring.
Permafrost thaw only affects local Russian agriculture and has no global impact, so cooperation is unnecessary.
Russian permafrost data is irrelevant because permafrost does not contain greenhouse gases or pathogens.
Global warming is caused solely by industrial emissions, and permafrost thaw has no role in pandemics or feedback loops.
The significance of feedback loops, Russian permafrost data, and global cooperation in the context of climate change and pandemics is:
They highlight interconnected risks and the need for coordinated global action.
They are only relevant to local weather patterns.
They have no impact on global health or climate.
They are unrelated to each other and to climate change.
The interaction between stock issues in the 1AC (inherency, plan, solvency, advantages) and negative strategies in the 1NC (topicality, disadvantages, counterplans, critiques) shapes the debate by:
Structuring the clash between affirmative and negative arguments, guiding the flow and focus of the round.
Ensuring only the affirmative side presents arguments, while the negative side observes.
Allowing both sides to agree on the plan without contesting each other's points.
Focusing solely on the advantages of the plan, ignoring negative strategies.
Which is the best summary of the thesis of the Science Diplomacy aff?
The US needs to increase scientific cooperation with Russia
The US needs to militarize the Arctic
The US needs to invest in Arctic science
The US needs to stop including Russia in our climate research
Which of the following is not part of permafrost?
Sediment
Rock
Oil and gas
Organic material
Soil
Why did the US stop doing cooperative research with Russia?
President Trump was elected
President Biden was elected
The US stopped focusing on the Arctic
Russia invaded Ukraine
Which of the following is NOT true about the Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation?
Which is NOT true about methane?
It's responsible for 16% of climate warming
It's a less potent greenhouse gas than CO₂
It is produced when organic matter decays
It is released when permafrost decays
What's the difference between climate adaptation and climate mitigation?
A) Adaptation means slowing or stopping climate change; mitigation means adjusting to its effects.
B) Mitigation means preventing climate change; adaptation means allowing species to adapt naturally.
C) Mitigation means slowing or stopping climate change; adaptation means adjusting to its effects.
D) Mitigation means cleaning up the effects of climate change; adaptation means changing our climate change policies.
What is science diplomacy?
Diplomatically engaging scientists to create new scientific theories
Allowing scientists to be members of a country's diplomatic staff
Creating new treaties negotiated by scientists
The use of scientific collaboration to build international partnerships and cooperatively address global challenges
What are the names of the advantages to the Science Diplomacy affirmative?
Arctic Science and Arctic Diplomacy
Miscalculation and Competition
Energy Justice and Cooperation
Arctic Resources and Climate Change
Which of the following is NOT a negative answer to advantage one?
Research Won't Change Policy
Trump Cuts are Irreversible
Warming Isn't Existential
No Permafrost Tipping Points
Climate Change is Good for Plant Growth
Which of the following is NOT a negative answer to advantage two?
Russia Says No
Trump Says No
Arctic Council Fails
Science Diplomacy Fails
Which best describes the concept of “appeasement”?
Giving in to an adversary
Opposing an adversary
Opposing an ally
Giving in to an ally
Which of these is the LINK to the Russian Appeasement DA?
The plan appeases Russia
Russia will lose the war in Ukraine
Russia will win the war in Ukraine
Capitulating to Russia causes a Russian-led world order and war
Which of these is the UNIQUENESS to the Russian Appeasement DA?
Russia will lose the war in Ukraine
Capitulating to Russia causes a Russian-led world order and war
The plan appeases Russia
Russia will win the war in Ukraine
Which of these is the INTERNAL LINK to the Russian Appeasement DA?
Capitulating to Russia causes a Russian-led world order and war
Russia will lose the war in Ukraine
The plan appeases Russia
Russia will win the war in Ukraine
Which of these is a NON-UNIQUE to the Russian Appeasement DA?
Russia will win the war in Ukraine
Russia will lose the war in Ukraine
Capitulating to Russia causes a Russian-led world order and war
The plan appeases Russia
The Science Diplomacy aff argues that the plan doesn’t appease Russia, instead it stops the appeasement of Russia. This is a(n)…
Link Turn
Straight Turn
Double Turn
Impact Turn
The LNG aff argues appeasing Russia is good, not bad. This is a(n)…
Link Turn
Straight Turn
Double Turn
Impact Turn
The aff argues a “NO IMPACT” argument that other countries won’t model Russia. Which of these is NOT a warrant for that argument?
A) Violence has ended
B) International opposition
C) Economic impacts
D) Casualties continue
Which of these is a “NO LINK” argument that the Science Diplomacy aff can make?
Science diplomacy doesn’t appease Russia
Trump is appeasing Russia now
Humiliation Turn
Ukraine is losing the war now
What is the most common analogy used to explain the concept of “appeasement”?
The United Kingdom in World War II
Russia in World War II
Germany in World War I
France in World War I
Which is the best summary of the thesis of the Domain Awareness aff?
The US needs more information about what is going on in the Arctic
The US needs to militarize the Arctic
The US needs to economically invest in the Arctic domain
The US needs to drill for domain resources in the Arctic
Which of the following is NOT one of the US military’s “five domains”?
Subterranean
Cyberspace
Land
Sea
Air
Which of the following is NOT one of the specific programs that the plan deploys?
Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles
Satellites
Early warning radars
Arctic launch site
Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles
In the context of the affirmative, what is “miscalculation”?
Misunderstanding an adversary’s intentions
Incorrectly calculating the size of our Arctic resources
Misunderstanding our allies’ commitment to the Arctic region
Mis-calculating our economic investment in the Arctic
What’s the difference between missile defense and missile defeat?
Missile defense means building up our own weapons, missile defeat means preventing an adversary from building weapons
Missile defense means shooting down missiles in flight, missile defeat means preventing launch
Missile defeat means building up our own weapons, missile defense means preventing an adversary from building weapons
Missile defeat means shooting down missiles in flight, missile defense means preventing launch
Which best describes the thesis of advantage two?
The US needs to compete economically in the Arctic; this is key to having the best oil and gas access.
Countries with domain awareness are better able to solve climate change.
Melting ice creates opportunities in the Arctic; it’s better to have the US and its allies in charge than authoritarian countries
China and Russia are competing with each other in the Arctic, the US is needed to prevent them from escalating to war.
Which is NOT a member of the “Arctic Quad”?
United States
Japan
South Korea
United Kingdom
Canada
What are the names of the two aff advantages to the Domain Awareness Affirmative.
Miscalculation and Competition
Arctic Science and Arctic Diplomacy
Energy Justice and Cooperation
Arctic Resources and Climate Change
Which of the following is NOT a negative answer to advantage one (Miscalc) of the Domain Awareness affirmative?
No Arctic War
Domain Awareness Increases Conflict
Domain Awareness Fails
Can’t Solve Crisis Decision-Making
No Escalation (or Miscalculation)
Which of the following is NOT a negative answer to advantage two (Competition) of the Domain Awareness affirmative?
Aff Can’t Solve Cooperation
Russia-China Axis Solves War
Aff Can’t Solve Democracy
No Russia-China Axis
Authoritarianism Isn’t Existential
Which of these situations would NOT generate “strategic stability”?
The two countries have first-strike capabilities
The two countries have second-strike capabilities
The two countries are avoiding arms racing
The two countries have parity in nuclear capabilities
Which is the best explanation of the submarines LINK of the Strategic Stability DA?
Russia is concerned that the US will have more powerful submarines than it does
Russia is concerned that US UUVs eliminate submarine second-strike capabilities
Russia is concerned that US UUVs eliminate submarine first-strike capabilities
Russia is concerned that its new submarines won’t be able to operate in the Arctic
Which of these is the UNIQUENESS to the Strategic Stability DA?
Arms races are existential threats
Domain awareness generates Russia fears that the US could now attack with impunity
Breaking strategic stability increases the chances of US-Russian conflict
The US and Russia are in a state of strategic stability
Which of these is the INTERNAL LINK to the Strategic Stability DA?
The US and Russia are in a state of strategic stability
Arms races are existential threats
Domain awareness generates Russia fears that the US could now attack with impunity
Breaking strategic stability increases the chances of US-Russian conflict
Which of these is the IMPACT to the Strategic Stability DA?
Arms races are existential threats
Breaking strategic stability increases the chances of US-Russian conflict
The US and Russia are in a state of strategic stability
Domain awareness generates Russia fears that the US could now attack with impunity
What type of turn does the affirmative have against the Strategic Stability DA?
Straight Turn
Double Turn
Which is the best explanation for the aff’s “case turns the Strategic Stability DA” argument?
Strategic stability exists now, but improved domain awareness prevents that war by deterring Russian attacks
Strategic stability exists now, but domain awareness causes Russia to freak out about new US capabilities
Arctic war is likely now, but domain awareness causes Russia to freak out about new US capabilities
Which is the best explanation of the aff’s “no internal link” argument for the Strategic Stability DA?
Russia and China make independent decisions about nuclear capabilities
The US doesn’t need domain awareness
Arms races aren’t existential threats
Missile defense doesn’t cause Russia to panic
Which is true about “first strike” and “second strike” capabilities?
First-strike weapons are used less often than second-strike weapons
First-strike weapons are primarily defensive, second-strike weapons are primarily offensive
First-strike weapons tend to be known, second-strike weapons tend to be hidden. First-strike weapons are used more often than second-strike weapons
In the rest of the debate on a DA after the 2AC, who has to answer everything, and who gets to pick and choose in order to win the debate on the DA?
The affirmative team has to answer everything, and the negative team gets to pick and choose
The negative team has to answer everything, and the affirmative team gets to pick and choose
They both have to answer everything
They both can pick and choose
Which of the following is NOT true about disadvantages?
They’re on-case positions
They’re read by the negative
They describe an undesirable consequence of adopting the plan
They are introduced in the 1NC
In the context of international relations, what is “soft power”?
Economic influence
Military influence
Psychosocial influence
Influence by attraction or persuasion
Which of these is the INTERNAL LINK to the China Soft Power DA?
US re-engagement in the Arctic pushes out China
China is expanding its soft power, especially in the Arctic
Without legitimacy, China will attack Taiwan, drawing the US into the war
China needs soft power to preserve CCP legitimacy
Which of these is the LINK to the China Soft Power DA?
US re-engagement in the Arctic pushes out China
China needs soft power to preserve CCP legitimacy
Without legitimacy, China will attack Taiwan, drawing the US into the war
China is expanding its soft power, especially in the Arctic
Which of these is the IMPACT to the China Soft Power DA?
US re-engagement in the Arctic pushes out China
Without legitimacy, China will attack Taiwan, drawing the US into the war
China is expanding its soft power, especially in the Arctic
China needs soft power to preserve CCP legitimacy
Which of these is the UNIQUENESS to the China Soft Power DA?
China needs soft power to preserve CCP legitimacy
Without legitimacy, China will attack Taiwan, drawing the US into the war
US re-engagement in the Arctic pushes out China
China is expanding its soft power, especially in the Arctic
Which type of aff argument means that the problem will happen regardless of the plan?
Uniqueness
Link
Internal Link
Impact
What are the two parts of a complete link turn?
Link Turn and Non-Unique
Link Turn and Impact Turn
Link Turn and No Internal Link
Link Turn and No Impact
What is it called when the aff reads a link turn and an impact turn on the same issue?
A Double Turn
A Total Offense Turn
A Straight Turn
Which of the following is a type of turn?
A Double Turn
A Total Offense Turn
A Straight Turn
Which of the following is NOT an argument that the aff will make against the China Soft Power DA?
A China-led order is bad
The plan decreases Chinese Soft Power
Geopolitical influence isn’t zero sum
China is not leading in the Arctic
China won’t invade Taiwan
What's the difference between high level meetings and working groups?
High level meetings happen about every two years, some working groups meet daily
High level meetings happen daily, working groups meet about every two years
Working groups don’t include indigenous groups, high level meetings do
High level meetings don’t include indigenous groups, working groups do
Who is the current chair of the Arctic Council?
United States
Greenland
Russia
Norway
Which of these is NOT a major issue facing the Arctic Council?
Trump is opposed to international organizations
The war in Ukraine created divisions
Russia is only somewhat involved
Norway didn’t cede the chairship
Which of these best describes the negative’s uniqueness for the Arctic Council DA?
The Arctic Council is not successful now because they are making public decisions
The Arctic Council is not successful now because their decisions are under the radar
The Arctic Council is successful now by making decisions publicly to draw support
The Arctic Council is successful now by making decisions under the radar
The negative says that the plan causes Russia to think the US is being aggressive in the region, causing them to withdraw. Which of the affirmatives is this the link to?
Domain Awareness
Native Renewables
Russia LNG
Science Diplomacy
Which indigenous group is collaborating with the Arctic Council chair on wildfire control?
Aleut International Association
Inuit Circumpolar Council
Gwichi’in Council International
Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North
According to the negative running the Arctic Council DA, why are wildfires so dangerous?
They destroy animal habitats
They hurt indigenous people living in the Arctic
They cause economic harms
They cause feedback loops
If the affirmative argues that “Trump will gut the council now” in response to the Arctic Council DA, they are making a(n)…
DA Non-Unique argument
DA No Link argument
A DA Link Turn
A DA No Internal Link argument
If the affirmative argues “the Arctic Council fails to manage wildfires,” in response to the Arctic Council DA they are making a(n)…
Non-Unique
No Link
Link Turn
No Internal Link
If the affirmative argues that “wildfires decrease climate change,” in response to the Arctic Council DA they are making a(n)…
Link Turn
Impact Turn
Double Turn
Significance
What is the purpose of the Negative Constructive Speech?
To state the praise for the idea and support it
To neglect the idea entirely and ignore it
To propose the proposition and say that things should change
To oppose the proposition and say that things should not change
What is the purpose of the Affirmative Constructive Speech?
To propose the opposition and neglect it
To oppose the proposition
To propose and support the proposition
To neglect the proposition
What is the structure of an argument?
Claim, evidence, and reasoning
Claim, evidence, and rebuttal
Premise, evidence, and conclusion
Claim, evidence, and conclusion
Liam, Maya, and Emma are having a debate. According to you, what is the purpose of them structuring their arguments?
To hide the main point
To make the argument longer
To confuse the audience
The purpose of structuring an argument is to present ideas in a logical and persuasive manner.
