indirect connection  

If all that Black wants is to cut between the two initial white stones, he will succeed with cutting. However, doing so is a loss because White gains during the exchange. Therefore Black does not want to cut and therefore the initial white stones are indirectly connected. They were not directly connected because Black can cut apart them.

To find out if your new example has directly connected white stones, define a group of white stones, then let Black try to cut them. If he can, then that group of white stones is only indirectly connected.