Which Voting System is Better? Reading Answers

Dec 13, 2022

Which voting system is better? Reading Answers have 13 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. Which voting system is better? Reading Answers comprise of question types, namely- True/False/Not Given and complete the summary. Candidates are required to write true/false/not given on the basis of the information and cue provided. They need to complete the summary using no more than two words for each IELTS Reading answer.

This topic is taken from the book: The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question. To be better prepared for the IELTS examination, candidates can follow and practice the IELTS practice papers. This topic Which voting system is better? Reading Answers will help them improve their skills and excel in the examination

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Which voting system is better? Reading Answers

Voting is often portrayed as a very simple activity - all that is required being a list of names, boxes, and a pen with which to tick the preferred option - but it is actually an intricate process that can take many different forms on which everyone from mathematicians to political scholars, interest groups, politicians, and voters often have divergent opinions. Two of the most popular of these voting systems are known as First-Past-the-Post (FPP) and Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP), and they have quite different features.
FPP is one of the simplest voting systems. Voters select one person from a list of candidates in their electorate, and the candidate with the highest number of votes is elected to represent them. While this might sound simple and fair, it can have several undesirable effects. Firstly, because of the 'all or nothing' result, FPP produces a large number of wasted votes - votes which do not affect the outcome of the election. This is the case in the majority of electorates, which are safe or relatively safe. Consequently, the party that gains the highest number of seats in Parliament may not actually gain the most votes - in the 2005 UK elections, for example, the Labour party governed alone with only 35 percent of the vote. Because of the pressure on voters not to 'waste' their vote, FPP tends to foster tactical voting for a rival but the less popular candidate, thus sidelining minority voices and third-party candidacies in favour of a race between two, often similar, contestants.
MMP attempts to create a parliament that represents a national consensus, rather than combining the results from dozens of local 'mini-elections'. Voters select their electorate candidate, as in FPP, but they also select a party, which will gain seats in Parliament proportionate to the party vote. This opens the door for representation amongst parties that may have broad support nationally but not enough support in any single geographical area to win an electorate seat. While Parliament as a whole may be more representative, however, the ability to affect change within Parliament can often accrue to a centrist, smaller party that has the ability to essentially choose the government, by selecting between the major parties as coalition partners. This phenomenon is known as the 'tail wagging the dog'. Finally, the party vote tends to bring in Members of Parliament (MPs) in an order that is chosen, not by the electorate, but by the party itself. This is one of MMP's undemocratic moves that favours party establishment and hierarchy over the will of the public.
New Zealand's transition from FPP to MMP demonstrates the benefits and drawbacks of each system. In the 1970s, many New Zealanders grew disillusioned with the two-party system FPP did not provide voters with another viable option; however, the leading third party received a considerable 16 per cent of the vote in 1978 but gained only one of the 92 seats in Parliament - three years later, their vote share was up to 21 per cent, but they gained only two seats. A Royal Commission subsequently recommended a shift to MMP, and in 1993, a statewide referendum was held that passed in favour of the reform.
The 1996 elections wore away much public enthusiasm for MMP, however. The result was indecisive, and with neither major party able to govern alone, the power to form a coalition rested upon a third party. New Zealand First instead of forming a coalition with Labour - a party that many voters considered to be its natural ally the New Zealand First party sided with the National party. This was followed by a subsequent rise in party-hopping - MPs leaving the parties from which they were elected. Eventually, the coalition disbanded with Prime Minister Jenny Shipley sacking New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, from Cabinet.
Nevertheless, after these initial teething problems, New Zealand voters and politicians have grown accustomed to MMP and learnt to focus on its possibilities rather than its hindrances. One of the most notable benefits is that Parliament has become far more representative of the diversity in modern New Zealand society. MMP introduced a number of MPs who had previously been marginalised from mainstream politics: women, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and community activists. Relationships between major and minor parties have also grown more stable, and in many ways, minor parties now function as auditors keeping a check on the major parties. MMP is not without its flaws, but the transition has generally been a positive experience.

Section 2

Solution with Explanation
Questions 14-19:
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 14 – 19 on your answer sheet, write:

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information.
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

Under FPP, the voter always selects the candidate that the voter likes best.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: Because of the pressure on voters not to 'waste' their vote, FPP tends to foster tactical voting for a rival but the less popular candidate.
Keywords: FPP, voter, pressure, minority voices, candidacies
Keywords Location: Paragraph B, last line
Explanation: The last few sentences of second paragraph states FPP tends to encourage tactical voting for a rival but less well-liked candidate. The voters stay under a pressure of not wasting their vote. This marginalises minority voices and third-party candidacies in favour of a contest between two, frequently similar, contenders. Hence, we can conclude that the statement is False.

Many voters have no role in determining the electoral result in the FPP system.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: Firstly, because of the 'all or nothing' result, FPP produces a large number of wasted votes - votes which do not affect the outcome of the election.
Keywords: all, nothing, FPP, wasted votes, election
Keywords Location: Paragraph B, 4th line
Explanation: The author in the fourth line of paragraph B states that FPP generates a huge number of wasted votes. This means that there are people whose votes does not matter in generating the results since the votes are wasted. Hence, this justifies that the given statement is true.

FPP uses geographically determined electorates as a basis for electing MPs.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: No relevant information was found in the reading passage mentioned above.

MMP may give minor parties disproportionate influence.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: And in many ways, minor parties now function as auditors keeping a check on the major parties.
Keywords: minor parties, stable, auditors, major parties
Keywords Location: Paragraph G, 2nd last line
Explanation: According to paragraph G, the author states that minor parties audits and checks the major parties. The relationships between large and minor parties have improved. Additionally, it was claimed that MMP brought in a number of MPs who had previously been excluded from mainstream politics. Therefore, we can conclude that the claim that mmp has unfairly influenced small parties is valid.

A change in the electoral system was rejected by New Zealand voters in the early 1990s.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: A Royal Commission subsequently recommended a shift to MMP, and in 1993, a statewide referendum was held that passed in favour of the reform.
Keywords: royal commission, statewide vote, electoral system, MMP
Keywords Location: Paragraph E, last line
Explanation: The author states that a Royal Commission subsequently recommended a shift to MMP. We also get to know that in 1993, a statewide referendum was held which was passed in favor of the reform. This shows that voters accepted the change in the electoral system. Hence, the given statement is false.

In both FPP and MMP systems, the government may not be formed based on a majority voter mandate.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: Because of the pressure on voters not to 'waste' their vote, FPP tends to foster tactical voting for a rival but the less popular candidate, thus sidelining minority voices and third-party candidacies in favour of a race between two, often similar, contestants & the party vote tends to bring in Members of Parliament (MPs) in an order that is chosen, not by the electorate, but by the party itself.
Keywords: FPP, tactical voting, electorate, party, member of parliament
Keywords Location: Paragraph B, last line and paragraph C, second last line.
Explanation: According to the text, FPP tends to encourage tactical voting for a competing but less well-liked candidate, suppressing minority voices and third-party candidacies in favour of a struggle between two, frequently comparable, contenders. In the MMP, the party vote often results in the election of Members of Parliament (MPs) in a chronological order decided by the party rather than by the people. So, it becomes clear that the given statement is true as in both the systems the government is not always formed on the voter mandate.

Questions 20-26:
Complete the summary below with words taken from Reading Passage.
Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Write your answers in blank spaces next to 20-26 on your answer sheet.

Public dissatisfaction with elections came about as a result of the 20………………. in New Zealand, and many people voted for a 21……………….instead. However, the parliamentary representation was disproportionate to the number of votes received, and after investigation, this situation eventually led to a national 22………………. which asked the people to express their preference for a particular electoral system. The first experience was messy; however, 23…………………ensued after the New Zealand First party decided to go into 24………………….with National instead of the Labour party. New Zealanders have since become used to MMP, and its advantages are now clearer. People once 25…………………..from affairs of state have gained access to Parliament, and major and minor parties now get along better – the latter taking on the role of 26………………….

Question 20:

Answer: Two Party System
Supporting Sentence: In the 1970s, many New Zealanders grew disillusioned with the two-party system FPP did not provide voters with another viable option
Keywords: New Zealanders, Disillusioned, FPP
Keywords Location: Paragraph E, 2nd line
Explanation:The passage says that while New Zealanders became disenchanted with the two-party system in the 1970s, the FPP failed to provide a viable option. Hence, the two party system is the correct answer.

Question 21:

Answer: Third Party
Supporting Sentence: however, the leading third party received a considerable 16 per cent of the vote in 1978 but gained only one of the 92 seats in Parliament - three years later, their vote share was up to 21 per cent, but they gained only two seats.
Keywords: vote, 1978, parliament, vote share
Keywords Location: Paragraph E, 3rd line
Explanation:The author in paragraph E mentions that the main third party earned a significant 16% of the vote in 1978. Three years later, their vote share increased to 21% but they gained only two seats. We can conclude that many people voted for the third party.

Question 22:

Answer: Referendum
Supporting Sentence: A Royal Commission subsequently recommended a shift to MMP, and in 1993, a statewide referendum was held that passed in favour of the reform.
Keywords: royal commission, 1993, MMP, reform
Keywords Location: Paragraph E, last line
Explanation: As per the last sentence of paragraph E, the royal commission suggested a switch to MMP. A statewide vote was held in 1993 that resulted in approval of the reform. Since a statewide referendum was held that passed in favour of the reform, referendum is the correct answer.

Question 23:

Answer: Party hopping
Supporting Sentence: This was followed by a subsequent rise in party-hopping - MPs leaving the parties from which they were elected.
Keywords: MPs, parties, elected
Keywords Location: Paragraph F, 4th line
Explanation: The author in paragraph F states that, while the first experience was flawed, it was followed by an increase in party-hopping. They changed partries. MPs abandoning the parties from which they were elected. Hence, Party hopping is the correct answer.

Question 24:

Answer: Coalition
Supporting Sentence: The result was indecisive, and with neither major party able to govern alone, the power to form a coalition rested upon a third party.
Keywords: result, indecisive, govern, third party
Keywords Location: Paragraph F, 2nd line
Explanation: As per the passage, neither major party could rule alone due to the ambiguous outcome. This gave the third party the authority to form a coalition. Hence, coalition is the correct answer.

Question 25:

Answer: Marginalised
Supporting Sentence: MMP introduced a number of MPs who had previously been marginalised from mainstream politics: women, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and community activists.
Keywords: women, diverse ethnic backgrounds, community activists
Keywords Location: Paragraph G, 3rd line
Explanation: According to the third line of paragraph G, MMP brought in a number of MPs who had previously been excluded from mainstream politics, including women, people of colour, and community organisers.

Question 26:

Answer: Auditors
Supporting Sentence: Relationships between major and minor parties have also grown more stable, and in many ways, minor parties now function as auditors keeping a check on the major parties.
Keywords: major, minor, parties, relationship, function, keeping a check
Keywords Location: Paragraph G, 2nd last line
Explanation: As per paragraph G, the relationships between major and minor parties have become more solid. The minor parties serve as auditors who keep the major parties in check. Hence, auditors is the correct answer.

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