Show excerpt at top of post - php

Question

I have a js quiz template that is used for multiple quizzes, and I'd like each one to show that post's excerpt. I tried adding <?php the_excerpt(); ?> at the top of the template, but that shows just the excerpt with a "click to read more" button. Is there a way to call the excerpt for a post without "read more" and with content after it?
http://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/quiz/
<?php
/*
Single Post Template: Quiz
*/
get_header();
?>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-8 content-area" role="main">
<h1><?php the_title();?></h1>
<h2>French Quiz</h2>
<?php the_excerpt(); ?>
<?php if ( have_posts() ) while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>
<script type = "text/javascript" src = "<?php echo get_template_directory_uri(); ?>/js/<?php echo get_the_content(); ?>"></script>
<div id="quiz">
<form id="quiz-form">
</form>
</div>
</div>
<?php get_sidebar(); ?>
</div>
<?php get_footer(); ?>

Answer 1

Try using get_the_excerpt() instead:
$my_excerpt = get_the_excerpt();
echo $my_excerpt;
There is more on this at http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/get_the_excerpt
EDIT:
This, like all post functions, need to be called in the loop:
<?php
global $more; $more = -1; // suppress the more tag
if ( have_posts() ) {
while ( have_posts() ) {
$my_excerpt = get_the_excerpt();
echo $my_excerpt;
} // end while
} // end if
?>