According to the passage, learning is defined as _____.

Introduction / Context:
This question is based on a reading comprehension passage that offers a specific and somewhat unusual definition of learning. Instead of giving a general dictionary meaning, the author explains learning in a narrow sense, contrasting it with everyday knowledge that people gain directly from experience. To answer correctly, you must pay close attention to the exact wording used in the passage.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The passage contrasts learning with everyday knowledge about things before us and around us. - It states that learning is a special kind of knowledge not generally known to others. - Options paraphrase different parts of the passage. - The task is to select the definition that matches the author's wording most closely.

Concept / Approach:
The passage begins by saying that learning is the knowledge of that which is not generally known to others and which we can only derive from books or other artificial sources. It also says that the knowledge of what is before us, about us, and connected with daily life is not learning. Therefore the correct answer must capture the idea of knowledge that is unusual, specialised, and not commonly possessed by ordinary people.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the key sentence from the passage: Learning is the knowledge of that which is not generally known to others. Step 2: Compare this with the given options. Step 3: Option A, the knowledge of that which is before us, directly contradicts the passage, which states that such knowledge is not learning. Step 4: Option B, the knowledge about us, is vague and does not match any specific phrase in the text. Step 5: Option C, the knowledge of that which is not generally known to others, is an almost exact reproduction of the passage’s definition. Step 6: Option D, the knowledge related to the businesses of men, again refers to practical, everyday affairs which the author excludes from learning. Step 7: Therefore, Option C is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read again the part where the author contrasts two types of knowledge. He clearly separates common, practical knowledge from learning and emphasises that learning consists of what none but the learned know. This reinforces that the phrase not generally known to others is central to the author's concept. The additional mention of books and artificial sources supports the idea of specialised, secondhand knowledge rather than direct experience.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is wrong because the author explicitly states that the knowledge of that which is before us is not learning. Option B is too general and does not reflect the passage's emphasis on uncommon knowledge. Option D speaks of the businesses of men, which the passage again uses as an example of knowledge that is not learning.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake in reading comprehension is selecting an option that sounds reasonable in general, rather than the one that matches the passage exactly. Here, it is tempting to choose a definition that seems like normal dictionary meaning, but the question asks you to follow the author's special usage. Always focus on the precise wording of the passage, especially phrases that are repeated or emphasised.

Final Answer:
According to the passage, learning is defined as the knowledge of that which is not generally known to others.