assign(ment)
1.assign用作“指定（功课）”解和assignment用作“被指定的功课”解都是美国用法。
2.下面各句都可以说：
- The authorities assigned him an important task.
- He was assigned an important task.
- An important task was assigned him.
- The authorities assigned him to an important task.
- He was assigned to an important task.
- The authorities assigned an important task to him.
- An important task was assigned to him.
3.assignment（被指定的功课）后面接in，如an assignment in physics。
