Life-changing disaster awaits the drunken driver. And he is proof.
At just 18 years of age, he could be a classmate or a friend, and that familiarity adds to the power of his words. He has spoken to more than 2,500 high school students so far, and he has noticed their unusual silence.
"A lot of teachers say, 'Don't drink,' but I'm not going to say that, because I know that students are going to do it," Nepola says. "I just say, 'Don't get in a car.' "
One year ago, Nepola, having been with friends drinking, lost control of his car and was thrown into trees 20 feet away. He was found covered in blood, with many bones broken.
At Hackensack University Medical Center, his skull was opened to relieve pressure on his brain. He was diagnosed with traumatic（创伤性）brain injury and remained in a coma（昏迷）and on life support for nearly three weeks.
At Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. physical therapist Erin Leahy initially found Nepola unable to move the right side of his body. But by the end of his six-week stay, he was able to walk out of the building. Leahy called that an inspiration and a miracle.
But Nepola's recovery is incomplete. Brain and muscular therapy has helped him regain movement in his right arm, but he still struggles with his right hand.
In the process of recovery, Nepola has thought deeply about what happened and why, and decided to share his story. Encouraged by his trauma doctor, Sanjeev Kaul, he teamed with Gonzalez and began attending assemblies in April.
He said he was nervous at first, but has grown used to the spotlight. And his rehabilitation（康复）and visible trauma help him draw serious attention from students.
Besides, "I'm not a wall," he said. "I feel like I know how to talk to people."
Driving drunk, he tells students, is like playing Russian roulette（俄罗斯轮盘赌博）: "You might do it a bunch of times, but something is going to happen."
Now, his days are all about the therapy, work and going to the gym. Mentally, he says, "I’m a lot happier in my life."
1. The main purpose of the text is to ______.
A. tell readers about the dangers of driving a car
B. warn students about the dangers of drinking
C. tell readers about Michael Nepola’s recovery experience
D. advise people not to drive a car after drinking
2. As a eighteen year old boy, Nepola story is powerful because ______.
A. his family supported him
B. his classmate and friend never gave up him
C. his classmate and friend are familiar with him
D. he is just like one classmate or friend we know
3. What does the underlined sentence mean?
A. A drunk driver will eventually have a serious accident.
B. Drunk driving is as risky as it is excited.
C. Drunk driving can be fun if the driver is experienced.
D. An experienced driver can drive drunk successfully.
4. After the accident, Michael Nepola came to ______.
A. make a full recovery
B. recover at a magical speed
C. be eager for more adventure
D. enjoy life more despite his physical condition
5. What can we infer from the article?
A. Michael Nepola believes his accident was the result of bad luck.
B. Michael Nepola thinks that students shouldn’t get drunk.
C. Michael Nepola wants to warn young people about the dangers of drunk driving.
D. Michael Nepola still doesn’t care about his future or college.
