Gradle Avoiding traps

String localScope1 = 'localScope1'
def localScope2 = 'localScope2'
scriptScope = 'scriptScope'

println localScope1
println localScope2
println scriptScope

closure = {
    println localScope1
    println localScope2
    println scriptScope
}

def method() {
    try {
        localScope1
    } catch (MissingPropertyException e) {
        println 'localScope1NotAvailable'
    }
    try {
        localScope2
    } catch(MissingPropertyException e) {
        println 'localScope2NotAvailable'
    }
    println scriptScope
}

closure.call()
method()

> groovy scope.groovy
localScope1
localScope2
scriptScope
localScope1
localScope2
scriptScope
localScope1NotAvailable
localScope2NotAvailable
scriptScope

def classesDir = file('build/classes')
classesDir.mkdirs()
task clean(type: Delete) {
    delete 'build'
}
task compile {
    dependsOn 'clean'
    doLast {
        if (!classesDir.isDirectory()) {
            println 'The class directory does not exist. I can not operate'
            // do something
        }
        // do something
    }
}

> gradle -q compile
The class directory does not exist. I can not operate