Getting a perfect score on "recall"?

Question

I know that it's been done, but it amazes me that anyone can type fast enough to get a perfect score on the "recall" part of the Spanish lessons on SD. "Recall" allows three seconds for an answer before subtracting a point.

I can touch-type at about 40 words/minute and I can type "el pasaporte" in three seconds, but many of the responses consist of three or four words. Then, of course, there are the many words that require inserting accents. And, you have to be perfect on 20 consecutive questions.

Don't be modest--have you ever gotten a perfect score on recall?

Edit: I am impressed--Sheila -Foste really did get 39 badges for perfect scores. I wish she would spend more time on SD.

• Count me out, though, I may give it a serious try one day - Goldie_Miel Feb 14, 2012
• It's been done 701 times apparently, according to the number of "star student" badges awarded. (I have 39 of them ,but then I'm probably obsessive and slightly mad :) - sheila-foste Feb 14, 2012
• Hi Frank, I'm moving this from the Vocabulary & Grammar category to General Discussions. Good luck with your next recall section! - StuartSD Feb 14, 2012
• Okay, Stuart. Thank you. - mtmonadnock Feb 14, 2012
• Funny I have had the exact same thought. Are there aliens (from outer space) that can type that fast. Surely no human can. lol - gringojrf Feb 14, 2012
View 2 more commments >>

Answer 1

Yes, I fully sympathise Frank. I usually achieved perfect or near perfect scores in all the other areas but if you experience co-ordination difficulties which affect your typing skills like I have then you would just have to be as realistic as possible and admit that this is unlikely to happen lol Having said that, you can only do your best! My best was 177/200

I think you will know if you really understand and can apply the knowledge you have just learnt - even if demonstrating this completely would be next to impossible for you. You can gauge/measure this perhaps more accurately by your responses to multiple choice questions in the other sections: recognise and listen.

If I were you I would not worry about it at all! If you can apply your newly acquired accurate knowledge and understanding to help others in the forum then you will have proven to yourself and shown others that you can write it correctly; but just not within certain time constraints which do not generally exist in the forum.

There are many ways to measure understanding and success in education/learning and simply being able to write quickly is only one way and being able to speak Spanish proficiently is the ultimate aim for many and fluency is not so much about speed but speaking without having to think and translate in your head what to say before you say it.

As you become more familiar with Spanish you will be able to remember and use it in situations without having to think hard/too much about what to say: it will just begin to flow more naturally once you get over any initial nerves about talking with natives. This usually take years of practice.I do not mean to suggest you/anyone can become fluent in Spanish or any second language in matter of weeks, or even in a few months;although in exceptional cases gifted individuals have succeeded in doing so! Even natives fluent in their mother tongue keep on learning.

I hope this helps

Edit: FELIZ, I've been trying to leave a comment to thank you, but this answer won't take my comments.

• only mine, lol - rac1 Feb 14, 2012
• oh i can comment :) usually i go for getting all of them right, not necessarily 'within time limit' - mathslover Feb 15, 2012

Answer 2

Yes, I did a search and it did help. However, it took me all night and a lot of coordination and many retries to get a perfect score. You may find your time is better invested in doing lessons or other practice.

• Exactly! - ajaks Feb 14, 2012
• Gracias, sanlee - mtmonadnock Feb 14, 2012
• Yes, it is a better investment of time to go on to entirely new material and learn, e.g. only 70% of something new. - Spenco Feb 14, 2012

Answer 3

Hi Frank101! I've read posts about this before. Apparently you can type your next answer after entering the previous one and by the time the next question pops up you're done, or mostly done - your answer will appear in the box, complete and ready to be counted as soon as you hit Enter. Of course, to accomplish this you need to go through Recall and memorize or write down the questions, then retake it in the same order. I think you have to be a little on the OCD (well, OK, a lot!) side to be that concerned with scores rather than content . And since you can't see what you are typing a mistake will cost you dearly.

Edit: Forget what I said about Copy/Paste. I haven't done these in a while so I'm a little rusty as to how they work.

• Ajaks, you lost me... don't understand what it is you would do to accomplish this. - Gillygaloo Feb 14, 2012
• Yes, I don't think copy and paste works with more that one word, but you can write them down and start typing right away before the next button. It is possible. - sanlee Feb 14, 2012
• Sorry Gilly, I haven't done these in a while. As soon as you hit Enter you can start typing your next answer and when the next question pops up you're done, or at least halfway done. Try it - you'll see. Again - not worth it. - ajaks Feb 14, 2012
• I suppose you could put all the answers in your clipboard and then paste the correct one in three seconds for the shorter sets. But with a set of 50 or more it still would be near impossible. - gringojrf Feb 14, 2012

Answer 4

Just a guess here but I suspect that those who have been credited with this have voice activated automatic typing.

• Lol - Goldie_Miel Feb 14, 2012
• Wow, do they have that?? - sanlee Feb 14, 2012
• I have never hreard of this Surely this is a form of cheating unless everyone knows about it? It sems unfair - FELIZ77 Feb 14, 2012
• I mean seems unfair - FELIZ77 Feb 14, 2012
• Dragon Speak.... and others.... Types it almost as fast as you can say it if it has been programmed correctly. - Spenco Feb 14, 2012
View 2 more commments >>

Answer 5

I guess that's one badge I won't be getting. That's ok though.

• Me too!! - mtmonadnock Feb 14, 2012

Answer 6

I'm not fast enough, nor do I care enough to go through the same words over and over just to get a badge or a couple of points!

• How about "personal satisfaction"? But you get a vote being honest! - mtmonadnock Feb 14, 2012
• I quite agree, Leatha :) - FELIZ77 Feb 14, 2012
• Well, I need to go over and over my words because I am still a beginner, it's not for a badge. - rac1 Feb 14, 2012
• Re-doing the lessons when I don't get a satisfying results encourages me to practice more. La repetición de esas las lecciones en las que no obtengo resultados satisfechorios es una razón practicar mâs. - xocoyote Feb 15, 2012

Answer 7

I had about this same post a year ago and finally just decided that it was not possible for me to type that fast... seems like there should be more time given.

Answer 8

Nope, Frank... I have tried and tried, but not even come close! If there aren't any special characters, I can get around a 185. I doubt I'd ever be able to get a perfect Recall score... I stopped trying quite a while ago. They just don't give us enough time to type the answers.

Answer 9

My typing speed is between 80-90 wpm and I can get 9 points on each recall, but I can only get 10 points if it is a short recall or there are no special characters. I especially struggled with phrases like ¿cómo está?, since at first I didn't know where to get ¿ and ¡ on the keyboard.

But I don't let my score bother me because I know I am racing as fast as I can to put the answer in - which means that I knew it straight away. & for me, I am pleased with that. If I can get my score higher I am happy, but really, knowing the material makes the real points for me

• You get my vote. My speed is about 45 WPM. - mtmonadnock Feb 15, 2012

Answer 10

There are certain lessons where it is easier than others. The one badge I got for numbers and time is one. There are only 2 hard phrases in there, and what I (used to do) was type them on notepad, and swiftly copy and paste for the first one as soon as I see it (a bit of fast fingers and luck there). Then for the second one (it had to be the only one left) I copied it and waited for the question to pop then paste straightaway.

Its easier because there are almost no accent marks needed in that lesson. For those that need, I use the international keyboard so I don't need to move the mouse all over the place.

Answer 11

Alright.

I have to post here.

For people who said something about an "voice activated automatic typing."?

That is not true.

I have been accredited with MANY of these badges, yes.

But I can type 157 wpm (words per minute).

Yeah, I timed myself.

http://speedtest.10fastfingers.com/

• Wow, that's really impressive! - pesta Feb 15, 2012
• Thanks for the link. - rac1 Feb 15, 2012
• Pesta. :) You're welcome, Rac. - Koalasan Feb 15, 2012

Answer 12

Those of us who are slow typists or have the wrong keyboard on which to type quickly are at a disadvantage on the "recall" section. Oh well. I just redo that section over again and get a few more points.

Esos de nosotros que son mecanógrafos lentos (teclistas lentas?) o tienen el teclado equivocado en lo que teclar rápidamente tienen una desaventaja en la sección "recall". Pues. Simplemente rehazo otra vez esa sección para obtener unos puntos más.

I did the "10fastfingers" test and got only a 59. No wonder if rarely score perfect on the recall.

• Well, I took the test too and couldn't get over 46. - mtmonadnock Feb 15, 2012

Answer 13

Well, I have three now after a lot of work. It sure wasn't easy though! And I'm not sure if it was even worth it. =) I've always been a fast typer and well coordinated, so I guess I got that advantage.

• Fat, well coordinated and modest too, how I envy you! - annierats Mar 22, 2012
• Sorry, typo: Fast! I'm certain you're slim as well, it goes without saying. - annierats Mar 22, 2012
• Haha, yeah I'm kind of thin. ;) Thanks! - --Kat-- Mar 22, 2012

Answer 14

I have a few minor problems with it:

a. I can't relate pictures to words particularily well.

b. I can't understand what the speechbubble means when it's a verb. Obviously it indicates who is speaking, or not.. Orr the number of speakers?? Therefore I have to do it again, trying to remember what was wrong last time, which owing to the fact the verb pictures usually look much the same is rather difficult.

c. I'm prone to making typos, the more observant of you may have noticed this.

c. The ñ I normally use on my keyboard doesn''t work on recall, you have to use the one provided and it take me even longer to remeber where that is..

d. I have to find my computer glasses first, so I can see the little speecbubbles...

e. the program then occassionally switches language! This makes 100 % of your answers wrong...

I haven't got one of those badges for some reason...

• You've summed it up nicely. - mtmonadnock Mar 22, 2012