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In the text "Mabel Ping-Hua Lee: How Chinese-American Women Helped Shape the Suffrage Movement" by Cathleen D. Cahill, the author introduces the central idea that Chinese people in America faced severe racial discrimination in the early twentieth century through various means. Let's break down the options provided:
1. Option A talks about the education of Chinese students, but it doesn't directly address racial discrimination.
2. Option B discusses a meeting between white suffragists and Chinese suffragists, highlighting different views, but it doesn't explicitly focus on racial discrimination.
3. Option C is the most relevant choice. It explains that the U.S. government enacted harsh laws, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, based on negative stereotypes to exclude Chinese immigrants. This directly connects to racial discrimination against Chinese people in America.
4. Option D mentions Mabel Ping-Hua Lee's parents being exceptions to the Exclusion Act due to their occupation, but it doesn't delve into the broader issue of racial discrimination faced by the Chinese community.
Therefore, the author introduces the central idea of severe racial discrimination faced by Chinese people in America in the early twentieth century by explaining that the United States government passed discriminatory laws, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, based on negative stereotypes targeting Chinese immigrants.