Option 1 -> The narrator demonstrated climbing ability by successfully ascending the tree with his cousin, so lack of skill wasn't the issue.
Option 2 -> The passage doesn't suggest he avoided all challenges, only that specific tree after the snake encounter.
Option 3 -> The intense fear described ("Panic gripped my chest," "I bolted") and the immediate decision never to climb that tree again shows the lasting impact of the frightening experience.
Option 4 -> The decision to stop climbing was immediate after seeing the snake, not due to aging over time.
Hence, Option 3 -> The narrator's vivid description of his terror (trembling, shallow breathing, bolting away with pounding heart) and the statement "We never climbed that tree again" immediately following the snake incident clearly indicates the fright left a lasting impression that prevented him from ever attempting to climb it again -> correct