How does Mara feel by the end of the passage?

Quietly pleased about a change of plans (She laughs and is 'almost glad the bus was gone' because missing it gives her a reason to visit her sister.)

Why does Mara decide to go down the side street?

To visit her sister who lives nearby (The text says her sister lives two blocks away and she heads off to call her, turning toward the side street.)

In this passage, 'grumpy' most nearly means

irritable (She imagines arriving 'tired and grumpy,' meaning bad-tempered or irritable.)

What is this story mostly about?

A missed bus that turns into a welcome visit to her sister (Mara misses the bus, but instead of staying upset she sees the good side: now she has a reason to visit her sister. She heads off "almost glad the bus was gone.")

The Last Bus: Level 2 Reading Comprehension Questions

Mara watched the bus pull away from the stop, its red lights shrinking into the dark. She had been three steps too slow. For a moment she just stood there, her bag heavy on her shoulder, the rain starting again.

Then she laughed, a small surprised sound. Tomorrow she would have walked the long way home and arrived tired and grumpy. Now she had a reason to call her sister, who lived two blocks away and always kept the kettle warm. She turned up her collar and headed down the side street, almost glad the bus was gone.

Comprehension questions