解:
(1)当方程是一元一次方程时,有两种情况:
情况一:$2 + k = 1,$解得$k = -1。$此时原方程为$(2\times(-1)+1)x - 4\times(-1)x + (-1 - 1) = 0,$即$-x + 4x - 2 = 0,$合并同类项得$3x - 2 = 0,$解得$x = \frac{2}{3}。$
情况二:$2k + 1 = 0$且$-4k \neq 0,$由$2k + 1 = 0$得$k = -\frac{1}{2},$此时$-4k = -4\times(-\frac{1}{2}) = 2 \neq 0,$原方程为$2x + (-\frac{1}{2} - 1) = 0,$即$2x - \frac{3}{2} = 0,$解得$x = \frac{3}{4}。$
综上,当$k = -1$时,方程的根为$x = \frac{2}{3};$当$k = -\frac{1}{2}$时,方程的根为$x = \frac{3}{4}。$
(2)若方程是一元二次方程,则$2 + k = 2$且$2k + 1 \neq 0,$由$2 + k = 2$得$k = 0,$此时$2k + 1 = 1 \neq 0,$原方程为$x^2 - 1 = 0。$所以二次项系数为$1,$一次项系数为$0,$常数项为$-1。$