Please don’t use the “timed practice” mode on the Duolingo web portal then!
Staff had modified the code (algorithm) and since a few weeks (max. 1-2 months) it is now much more difficult to get over 10XP - you can get up to 18-20XP and 1XP per question.
It was IMHO easier before and sometimes I get even 0XP!
If I find my comment in the related thread in the Duolingo discussion forum, I will link it here.
What are you learning? It sounds like you are learning a language with an alphabet you are not very familiar with?
Hi Amanda,
I have been learning Portuguese Brazil since two years (is this grammar correct with “since”?).
No, the Portuguese alphabet / writing is for me as a German and English speaker not very difficult.
I would not even dare to use the “timed practice” mode on Duolingo if I had to learn a language like Russian or any Asian language with a very different writing system 
Not before and for sure not now.
I really miss the DuoLessonsFix Tampermonkey userscript which was able to stop the annoying timer between questions on the Python web portal in 2016 - 02/2017 
Thanks for replying to me, Thomas, even though my question was actually directed at the original poster!
What language(s) are you learning, by the way, one with different characters than English?
My native language is English and I am learning Korean. None of the letters even are the same.
I am happy the website developers added this feature. You can now turnoff the timer within your profile settings.
As mentioned above, the timer can now be toggled off in your settings on web. Simply go to https://www.memrise.com/settings/learning/ and toggle Lesson timer Yes/No.