【正确答案】正确答案：According to E. M. Forster, there are two types of characters in the novel—round characters and flat characters. A flat character is a minor character in a work of fiction who does not undergo substantial change or growth in the course of a story. Also referred to as "two-dimensional characters" or "static characters," flat characters play a supporting role to the main character, who as a rule should be round. They are necessary in the novel. A round character is a major character in a work of fiction who encounters conflict and is changed by it. Round characters tend to be more fully developed and described than flat, or static, characters. A writer employs a number of tools or elements to develop a round character, making him or her round, including descriptions and dialogue, so they probably seem as real to you as people you know in real life.

【答案解析】解析：本题考查E．M．Forster在《小说面面观》 (1927)中所提出的两个术语：圆形人物(round characters)和扁形人物(flat characters)，给出定义即可。